The military today said no one was injured but that the landing of the MQ-9 Reaper damaged the runway at Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey. The hard landing happened yesterday.
The military said the US government is working closely with Niger's government to secure the scene and lessen inconveniences caused by the incident. The cause of the hard landing is under investigation.
The Niamey airport is close to the border with Mali, to the west, and northern Nigeria, to the east, giving the drones the ability to track movements by militants in both regions.