Heavy gunfire and powerful explosions erupted near Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger’s capital late Wednesday night, with the violence lasting approximately two hours before calm returned to the area. Residents living close to the airport reported hearing intense bursts of gunfire and loud detonations that began shortly after midnight local time. Some footage showed flames rising several metres high, while other images depicted burned and charred vehicles in the airport vicinity. The disturbance terrified local residents in neighbourhoods surrounding the facility, which serves as both a civilian airport and a military base. JNIM was formed in March 2017 through the merger of multiple extremist factions and has since expanded its operations across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.