NIAMEY, Niger — There were loud explosions and heavy gunfire overnight into Thursday morning near the main airport in Niger's capital, Niamey, residents said, leading to fears of a likely attack by armed groups in the conflict-hit country.
Videos that appear to be from the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport, which houses a Nigerien military base.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the videos that also showed military trucks and fires.
It was not immediately confirmed what led to the explosions and gunshots or if there were casualties or damage.
One resident said he learned gunmen attacked the airport but were repelled by soldiers. The resident, who lives in the airport district, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of his life. The AP could not independently verify the resident's account.
Regional analysts also suspected it was an attack that was targeting key facilities, mainly drones, at the military base. The country recently acquired several Turkish drones to boost its fight against jihadi militants, according to local media.
''Drones have become a game changer for both sides — army and jihadists — so the attackers wanted to eliminate the latest Turkish arms deliveries,'' said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
West African airline Air Côte d'Ivoire said one of its aircraft, parked on the tarmac of the Niamey airport, was hit during the gunfire, resulting in impacts to the aircraft's fuselage and right wing. In a statement on Facebook, it shared photos that appear to show damage caused by bullets and said the incident could lead to adjustments to its flight schedule.
