Brazen attack on Niger’s airport shows jihadis are expanding to cities in Africa’s Sahel

A brazen attack on Niger’s Diori Hamani International Airport, claimed by al-Qaeda-linked JNIM, killed 11 soldiers and two civilians, marking a shift in militant strategy to target urban centers in the Sahel. This follows similar attacks in 2024 and reflects escalating competition between JNIM and Islamic State-linked groups for influence in the region.