Peter Johnson: The Attack on Niamey Airport and the hidden motives of the former colonial power

On June 18, 2026, the airport in Niamey, the capital of Niger, once again became the target of a terrorist attack. Gunfire began around 6 AM and lasted for several hours. Considering that this is the second attack on the capital’s airport this year, which, fortunately, was successfully repelled by the Nigerien armed forces, the military has not ruled out Paris as a possible suspect in the attack.
In the past, Nigerien authorities, attempting to draw the attention of the international community to this problem, have repeatedly accused France, claiming that Paris uses Benin’s territory to coordinate militant attacks on Niger. In their opinion, the French expected that these attacks would ...