advertisementGunshots and loud explosions of yet to be ascertained source were heard late on Wednesday night around the Niamey International Airport in Niger Republic. Local sources told Zagazola Makama that the airport area was the scene of violence, with heavy detonations and sustained gunfire reported in the vicinity. Story continues below advertisementAccording to the sources, calm has since returned to the area, but the identity of the attackers remains unknown. Story continues below advertisementFrance24 reports that the shooting began shortly after midnight, according to residents of a neighbourhood near the airport. The country’s largest international airport is also the headquarters of a joint force created by Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali to combat jihadist groups waging deadly violence in the region.