Explosions and armed clashes erupted in Niger’s capital, Niamey, early Saturday as insurgent soldiers briefly seized control of critical sites, including the city’s main airport and a strategic military base. The outbreak of violence plunged the West African nation into turmoil, raising concerns about the stability of the ruling military junta.

The Ministry of Defense reported that attacks began around 1 a.m. local time and targeted multiple locations, including Air Base 101, which hosts foreign personnel such as Russian mercenaries and Italian forces. While the ministry did not identify the assailants or disclose casualties, sources indicated that the mutineers held Russian contractors hostage during the initial stages of the clashes.

President Abdourahmane Tchiani, the general who came to power in a 2023 military coup, was believed to have been inside the presidential palace during the fighting. Security forces loyal to the president reportedly regained control over the airport by early Sunday after intense confrontation with the attacking soldiers. The Ministry of Defense characterized the security response as “prompt,” stating that authorities had gradually contained the disturbance and were working to secure all affected sites.

Analysts monitoring the situation described the capital as unstable but noted that government forces appeared to be gaining the upper hand. Beatrice Bianchi, an adviser with the Sahel-Sahara Security Strategies Centre, said that many of the dissident soldiers who had fortified themselves inside Air Base 101 had been killed, though she cautioned that the situation remained fluid.

The exact motivations behind the operation remain unclear, with some experts refraining from labeling it outright as a coup attempt. Héni Nsaibia, a senior West Africa researcher with the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, suggested the event may have been a large-scale mutiny or an effort to destabilize the current regime rather than a formal coup. However, Bianchi argued that the scale and violence of the clashes distinguished this from past mutinies, framing it as a credible coup attempt.

Niger has been grappling with persistent jihadist violence, which has frequently targeted government and military installations. The country’s main airport was the site of deadly attacks in January and June 2024, carried out by Islamist militant groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and Islamic State. These recurring security failures continue to undermine the ruling junta’s authority and have exacerbated tensions within the military ranks.

Following the 2023 coup that deposed the democratically elected government, Niger’s military leaders have justified their rule by citing the escalating jihadist insurgencies threatening national security. They have also shifted alliances away from traditional Western partners, particularly France, in favor of closer ties with Russia. Nonetheless, border regions remain under threat from a variety of armed groups, including Boko Haram, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and the Islamic State Sahel West Africa Province (ISWAP), stretching Niger’s security forces thin.

Analysts warn that the failure to adequately address the ongoing insurgency has fueled discontent within the armed forces, with some soldiers reportedly frustrated by the lack of recognition and support for casualties suffered in battle. This disaffection may have contributed to the events of the weekend, highlighting the fragile security environment in Niger and the high stakes confronting its leadership.