Niger Junta Regains Control After Failed Coup Attempt in Niamey
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Niger Republic's ruling junta says it regained control after mutinying soldiers attacked the presidential palace and airport in Niamey, in what officials described as a failed coup attempt.
Niger Republic's ruling junta said it "gradually took back control" after mutinying soldiers attacked key sites around the capital, Niamey, including the presidential palace, following hours of heavy gunfire overnight into Saturday, August 29, 2026.
Niger's Defence Minister, General Salifou Mody, said a group of soldiers held some troops hostage at a barracks in Niamey and opened fire at "certain sensitive sites" in the city. He said the presidential guard, reportedly aided by Russian forces, pushed back an attempt by insurgents to enter the presidential palace and recaptured a key military base near the airport, with several of the rebelling soldiers killed.
State broadcaster Tele Sahel briefly went off air before being restored. By Sunday, life had returned to normal in the capital, with military checkpoints visible across the city. Niger has been ruled by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani since a July 2023 coup, and continues to battle jihadist violence in the Sahel region.