The military government in Niger declared on August 30 that it has regained control after armed clashes erupted in the capital, Niamey, due to rebellious soldiers. The unrest began when soldiers attempted to storm the presidential palace and disrupted operations at the national broadcaster, Tele Sahel, according to reports from AFP.

Niger has been under military rule led by General Abdourahamane Tiani for the past three years, amid ongoing struggles to curb violence from jihadist groups that have surged over the last decade. Following several hours of intense gunfire near sensitive locations in Niamey, the military government announced via state television that it was gradually regaining control.

By the evening of August 29, diplomatic and security sources informed AFP that the presidential guard, with assistance from Russian units, had retaken the crucial Air Force Base 101 and eliminated several rebellious soldiers. The clashes erupted just after midnight on August 28 when soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and the national television station. The broadcast was interrupted for over an hour before resuming around 10 AM local time.

According to a security source, "There was an attempt by rebellious elements within the Niger armed forces to enter the presidential palace," but the presidential guard successfully repelled them. Niger's Minister of Defense, General Salifou Mody, stated on state television that a group of soldiers had taken some military personnel hostage at a barracks in Niamey and fired upon several unspecified sensitive locations in the city. He assured the public that the military and security forces quickly regained control and urged citizens to remain calm.

Local residents described hearing "intense gunfire and numerous explosions" at Base 101 in Niamey, which is considered the nerve center of the military government. This information was corroborated by multiple eyewitnesses. Base 101 is located within the premises of Niamey International Airport and serves as the headquarters for the Russian Africa Corps in Niger. It is also the command center for the joint forces of the Sahel Alliance (AES), which includes Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali.

In a statement released in the evening, the AES reported that it had become the target of "betrayal from a group of soldiers involved in an attempt to create instability," but this plot was ultimately "contained and neutralized." The Niamey airport has been targeted twice by jihadist groups this year: first by the self-proclaimed Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) in January, and again in late June by the rival group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Sahel.