Attack on Niger airport kills 35, including 11 soldiers
What's new: authorities said 20 suspects were arrested after gunmen hit Niamey's airport and military base for the second time this year.
Gunmen attacked Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger's capital early Thursday, killing 35 people, including 11 soldiers and two civilians, authorities said. The defense ministry said 22 assailants were also killed, four were wounded and a large cache of weapons was seized. The airport, in Niamey, doubles as a military base and hosts facilities tied to the Alliance of Sahel States. PBS, citing AP, reported the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM group claimed responsibility. It was the second assault on the airport in less than five months after a January attack claimed by Islamic State's Sahel branch, underscoring a widening militant push into urban centers across the Sahel.