Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed on Sunday that all Italian military personnel attached to the Bilateral Support Mission to Niger (MISIN), as well as civilian Italian nationals residing in the country, are safe following the violent security events in Niamey on the night of August 28–29.
Monitoring the situation alongside the Italian Embassy in Niamey, Tajani expressed gratitude to the Italian Armed Forces for their ongoing operational dedication. Deployed in Niger since 2018 to assist with military training, the Italian contingent maintains a key presence at Air Base 101, which was among the sensitive installations targeted during the nocturnal attacks.
Highlighting the broader geopolitical context, Tajani emphasized that Niger’s long-term stability remains vital to the security of the broader Sahel region, particularly in combating illicit trafficking networks and managing irregular migration. He reiterated that developments in the Sahel directly impact European and Mediterranean security, pledging that Italy will remain actively engaged in stabilization efforts while hoping for a swift return to order and full protection for the civilian population.
The Minister’s statement comes as Niger prepares for the official funerals of three Presidential Guard members—Warrant Officer Illo Maihatchi alongside Privates Yahya Idrissa Zamnaou and Ousmane Haboulé Hamissou—who were killed defending state institutions during the unrest. The fallen soldiers will receive posthumous military honors and burial rites on Monday afternoon at Military Base 101. Initially reported by the Ministry of Defence as localized internal military unrest, the attacks were subsequently condemned by the Confederation of Sahel States as a coordinated destabilization campaign by renegade troops.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA