Al-Qaeda affiliate claims attack on Niamey airport that killed 13

NIAMEY, Niger — At least 11 soldiers and two civilians were killed in an armed attack on Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger's capital, Niamey, the country's Ministry of Defense said. The ministry added that security forces killed 22 attackers while repelling the assault. The Al-Qaeda-linked group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the attack through its media arm, Az-Zallaqa, saying it targeted the airport and an adjoining military air base. The ministry said four people were wounded and about 20 suspects had been detained, adding that the airport remained open to air traffic. Local residents reported that gunfire that began in the morning hours continued for several, with intensive security operations under way in the surrounding area. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed some flights bound for Niamey were diverted to alternative routes or delayed. Niger has been ruled by a military junta for three years and has faced near-daily jihadist insurgency for close to a decade. No further details on the investigation were immediately available.