Algeria Deploys Fighter Jets to Niger Air Base

Arabic version: الجزائر تنشر طائرات مقاتلة في قاعدة جوية بالنيجر

According to Allafrica, Algeria deployed four Su-30 fighter jets, an Il-76 transport aircraft and an Il-78 aerial tanker to Air Base 101 beside Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey after a military uprising in Niger. Algeria’s Ministry of National Defence said the aircraft were sent at the request of Nigerien authorities to support Niger’s armed forces against what authorities called an “attempt to destabilize” the state.

The deployment is described as the Algerian military’s first overseas operation and follows Algeria’s donation of four helicopters, ammunition, spare parts, maintenance equipment and logistical support to Nigerien forces. The Algerian contingent arrived at Air Base 101 in a ceremony on August 30, after Nigerien authorities said on August 29 that they had regained control and restored calm in the capital.

The uprising involved several special forces units deployed against jihadist groups in the Tillabéri and Dosso regions. It began during the night of August 28-29, when residents reported gunfire and explosions in sensitive parts of Niamey, including the city centre, areas around the presidency, near Niger’s Radio and Television network headquarters, and close to Air Base 101.

Air Base 101 hosts the Africa Corps contingent and the joint headquarters of the Alliance of Sahel States, made up of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali. The base is also home to the Italian military mission, the last Western troop contingent in Niger after French, US and German withdrawals. The attempted uprising was thwarted with assistance from Africa Corps members, the Russian force operating under Moscow’s Ministry of Defence.

The airport and Air Base 101 have faced three attacks this year: an Islamic State in the Sahel-claimed attack on January 29, an attack attributed to JNIM on June 18, and the August 29 action by rebel soldiers. The report said the Algerian deployment at the AES joint headquarters could also affect relations between Algeria and Mali, which have faced tensions in recent years.