Sawt Falasteen - Soldiers' mutiny rocks Niger capital, as junta claims to be back in control

But while the fighting had subsided later Saturday, the rebel troops were said by a regional security source and an African diplomatic source to still be holding two barracks around Niamey, including one at a large air base near the capital's airport.

When the fighting broke out, shortly after midnight, soldiers blocked access to the presidential palace and to the national television station, Tele Sahel, which went off the air for just over an hour, before being restored around 10:00 am (0900 GMT).

Niger's ruling junta later declared, in a statement read on state television, that it "gradually took back control" after hours of clashes.

"There was an attempt by insurgents from the Nigerien armed forces to enter the presidential palace," a security source told AFP, adding that "they were pushed back by the presidential guard".

Niger's defence minister, General Salifou Mody, said in the statement on state television that a group of soldiers held some troops hostage at a barracks in Niamey and opened fire at "certain sensitive sites" in the city, without specifying which ones.

"The prompt reaction of the defence and security forces made it possible to contain this heated moment and they gradually took back control of these sites," he added.

Mody's statement called on the population to "remain calm and freely go about their business".

- 'Bursts of gunfire' -

Niger has been ruled for three years by a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani that has struggled to contain jihadist violence flaring in the west African country for around a decade.

"Everything is calm again, we can't hear any more shooting," a resident of the Yantala district close to the presidential palace said late Saturday morning.

The gunfire began in the early hours of Saturday morning, prompting the military to issue a statement on its social media pages urging people to stay calm and "avoid sharing unverified information".

"Our defence and security forces have been mobilised for the defence of the homeland," the statement said.

One local resident told AFP that there was "heavy gunfire and explosions" at Base 101 in Niamey, a claim confirmed by several other witnesses.

Junta supporters called for "sincere patriots" to demonstrate in support of the authorities at a major Niamey square.

By late afternoon, a few dozen people had converged on the square, where military music praising General Tiani was playing while a platform intended for speeches was being set up.

Neighbouring Algeria condemned Saturday's events and pledged support for the Niamey government.

The first shots were heard at about 1:00 am local time and continued until daybreak, according to a video published by a local journalist filming the area around the airport.

Another local resident said he heard "bursts of gunfire" at about 7:00 am local time, adding that the weapons heard "are not the kind that terrorists on motorbikes can carry".

"I went to get credit for my phone. I saw a military vehicle heading towards the base that had to turn back," he said.

Another resident in the west of Niamey said he heard sporadic small-arms fire at about 5:00 am.

Videos online showed armoured vehicles deployed to reinforce the neighbourhood near the airport.

- Rival jihadist groups -

Niamey airport has been targeted twice this year by jihadists, first by the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) in January, then in late June by its rival, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), the Sahel branch of Al-Qaeda.

The jihadist groups not only target civilians and the military but are also struggling for dominance over each other in the Sahel, and especially in Niger.

Twenty assailants were killed and four soldiers wounded in the January assault, authorities said at the time.

In June, at least 11 soldiers and two civilians were killed, as well as 22 attackers, according to the defence ministry. Both attacks were repelled by the army.

The EIS and JNIM are also active in neighbouring allies Burkina Faso and Mali, which are also ruled by military juntas that seized power in coups.

The three countries quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc, turned their backs on traditional Western partners in the fight against jihadist violence, especially France, and sought closer ties with Russia.

Air Force Base 101, located within the international airport complex, is home to the headquarters of Russia's Africa Corps in Niamey and the command of the unified force of the Alliance of Sahel States, of which Niger is a member with Burkina Faso and Mali.

The site is sensitive. Between December and January, it hosted a large shipment of uranium concentrate, which was held up while awaiting export. No movement of the shipment has been identified since.

X.Habash--SF-PST