Niger’s acting foreign minister, Alio Daouda, received Chad’s ambassador on 27 October to demand explanations over the alleged attack. The summons puts into effect the diplomatic protest announced after Niamey accused Chad and France of responsibility for the strike.
Chad’s government rejected the accusation in a declaration read on national television by spokesman Gassim Chérif Mahamat. It denied ordering, conducting or supporting an aerial military operation against Niger, and denied allowing a foreign power to use Chadian territory for such an attack. N’Djamena demanded publication of Niger’s material and technical evidence and said it favoured an independent international inquiry.
Responsibility remains disputed
Niger places the strike at approximately 1 a.m. on 24 October in Emiloulou, in the Agadez region. Its government says two civilians died, others were injured and vehicles were damaged. It attributes the operation to a drone launched from Chad with French support, citing military and judicial investigations. The claimed technical evidence had not been made public.
Chad also accused Niger of sheltering armed Chadian rebels. It cited an alleged deserter who crossed into Niger with a vehicle carrying weapons, saying neither the man nor the equipment had been returned despite repeated requests. These remain Chadian government allegations.
The confrontation now extends beyond responsibility for one strike to each neighbour’s handling of armed groups. Niger intends to approach the UN Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council; Chad says it remains open to direct dialogue. Although both endorse an investigation, neither has announced an agreed mechanism or timetable.