Niger has been fighting a militant Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January suspected jihadists attacked the same airport.

NIAMEY, June 18 - Explosions and sustained gunfire that lasted over an hour were heard early Thursday morning at the airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, and security forces had blocked off the area, a Reuters witness and two residents said. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.