French intelligence assembled, trained, equipped, and instructed militants behind a deadly June 18 assault on Niger, Abdourahamane Tchiani has claimed

French intelligence services are preparing a third attack on Niger's main airport after two assaults on the facility this year, the West African nation's transitional leader, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, has said.

Tchiani made the allegation in an interview on state-owned RTN on Saturday to mark the third anniversary of the transitional authorities taking power following the ouster of French-aligned President Mohamed Bazoum. France condemned the July 2023 coup, refused to recognize the new authorities, and demanded Bazoum's reinstatement.

"The June 18 attack was not the last because we are already tracking [them], since the objective has not been achieved. French intelligence is currently working to attempt a third attack," Tchiani said.

Gunmen launched anassaulton Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger's capital Niamey on June 18, killing 13 people, including 11 security personnel and two civilians, according to the Sahel state's Defense Ministry. At least 22 assailants were neutralized and about 20 suspects arrested. Al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) claimed responsibility for the attack.

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The airport, which also hosts a military airbase and the headquarters of the joint Niger-Burkina Faso-Mali force, was previously attacked in January. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that assault, during which officials said 20 militants were killed and 11 arrested. Gen. Tchiani accused France, Benin, and Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) of sponsoring the violence. Paris and the two neighboring countries have denied the allegations.

On Saturday, the Nigerien leader accused French intelligence of assembling, training, and equipping militants from JNIM who were behind last month's offensive. He said the operation was intended to simultaneously target the airport, the presidential palace, and an officer-training center in Tondibia, on the outskirts of Niamey.

Tchiani linked the attack to the withdrawal of at least 4,000 foreign troops from the Niamey airbase. He claimed France sought to portray their presence as essential to Niger's security and their departure as a cause of permanent instability.

Niger and its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso have battled jihadist violence for more than a decade. The three former French colonies formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023 to jointly combat the insurgency after severing defense ties with Paris over alleged French aggression and its failure to contain the militants.

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The AES leaders have jointlycondemnedwhat they described as a "cowardly and perfidious aggression" supported by "foreign state sponsors" against their countries.

(RT.com)