Thirty-five killed as gunmen attack Niger's biggest airport

Thirty-five people have been killed after gunmen struck Niger's largest airport on Thursday, officials say - the second attack in less than five months.

Residents in the predominately Muslim country told the BBC they had just finished their morning prayers when explosions and gunshot sounds rang out from Diori Hamani international airport, located in the capital, Niamey.

In the evening, Niger's defence ministry said the fatalities comprised 22 assailants, 11 soldiers, and two civilians.

Niger has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January, an organisation linked to the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for an attack on the same airport.

No group has said it was responsible for Thursday's attack.

The violence had settled by mid-morning and security forces have since launched a manhunt for the attackers.

Lawalli Tsalha, who lives near the airport, which also hosts a military base, told the BBC: "We finished our prayer at about 05:50 (04:50 GMT) and shortly afterwards we heard a loud bang - like something had exploded, perhaps a tyre.

"It was only a little later that we realised what was happening."

Media reports and witnesses said multiple attackers were detained.

Armed local residents joined the manhunt, though witnesses told the BBC that security personnel attempted to stop civilians getting involved.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "The attackers mixed in with the local population, so finding them was not easy. Civilians picked up machetes and sticks to defend themselves and to strike anyone they did not recognise who came their way."

The airport vicinity remained locked down on Thursday afternoon, with security forces searching vehicles entering and leaving the area.

Diori Hamani international airport is one of Niger's most sensitive security installations, serving as both a civilian aviation hub and a military base.

It also hosts facilities linked to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which comprises Niger and its neighbours, Mali and Burkina Faso.

All three countries are run by juntas which came to power in part because of a failure to deal with years of jihadist violence in the region.

In January's attack on the airport, four military personnel were injured and 20 attackers were killed, Niger's defence ministry said.

At the time, the head of Niger's military government, which has been in power for three years, thanked Russia for its help in foiling the attack. Abdourahamane Tiani also accused the presidents of France, Benin and Ivory Coast of backing those responsible.

He did not give details of what help Russia had provided, or provide any evidence to support his accusations against the other countries.

In recent weeks, authorities in Niger have demolished neighbourhoods near the airport, citing "terrorist risks".

They have also extended the airport's perimeter fence and installed more than 350 surveillance cameras, AFP reports.

Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.

Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica