Russia says it helped to repel Niger attempted coup

Russia has said its forces helped to repel Saturday's attempted coup in Niger.

Explosions and gunfire rang out across capital, Niamey, early in the morning, including at a key military airbase and the presidential palace.

Hours later, Niger's authorities said the rebellion had been contained.

Nigerien forces had repelled the attack "with the assistance of servicemen of the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defence", the foreign ministry in Moscow said on Sunday.

The ministry also said it would continue to support Niger in its fight against "extremists", but that the situation was now under the control of the legitimate authorities headed by President [Gen Abdourahmane] Tiani".

Russia's African Corps has become a key security partner for multiple military governments in the Sahel, who have been struggling to contain long-running jihadist insurgencies.

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The Alliance of Sahel States - composed of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso - said the attempted coup was "a betrayal by a group of soldiers involved in an attempt at destabilisation".