Algeria deploys four Su-30 jets to Niger after Niamey unrest

ALGIERS – Algeria has sent four Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets to Niger following an attempted military uprising in the capital Niamey, stepping up security and military cooperation with its southern neighbour and signalling a more direct Algerian role in the increasingly contested Sahel region.

Algeria’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Said Chengriha had ordered the deployment of two aerial patrols, each comprising two fighter aircraft, to support Niger’s army in confronting what it described as “an attempt to destabilize the brotherly state of Niger.”

The aircraft landed at Niamey’s airport accompanied by an aerial refuelling plane, the ministry said, adding that the deployment had been made “at the request of the Nigerien authorities.”

The operation was ordered under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s instructions to strengthen strategic cooperation between Algeria and Niger, “particularly in the military field”, the ministry said.

It added that the deployment “reaffirms Algeria’s firm commitment and determination to continue its efforts to strengthen security and stability in the region” and reiterated its “constant support for the government and people of Niger in overcoming this sensitive period”.

The move followed unrest in Niamey during the night of August 28-29, when a group of military personnel attempted to detain colleagues inside a barracks at Air Base 101, according to Niger’s Defence Minister Salifou Mody.

Gunfire was also reported around strategic sites near the presidential palace, as well as around Diori Hamani International Airport and the air base, a key military facility in the capital.

Mody said security forces had intervened, brought the situation under control and begun restoring control over the targeted locations.

Algeria has not disclosed the operational details of the four fighters, including how they will be used or whether they will carry out combat or air-policing missions. The deployment nonetheless represents a significant escalation in the level of direct security cooperation between the two countries.

Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf also expressed solidarity with Niger’s authorities, backing efforts to restore stability and condemning acts that could undermine the Nigerien people’s aspirations for development.

Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine received the Algerian military mission and expressed “his thanks and gratitude” to Tebboune and the Algerian people for the support, according to the Algerian Defence Ministry.

The deployment comes only days after Zeine visited Algeria, where the two sides sought to give fresh impetus to bilateral relations and move towards a broader partnership.

The sequence of diplomatic and military moves points to an effort by Algiers to rebuild its influence in the Sahel through a combination of political engagement, economic cooperation and security ties, rather than relying primarily on its traditional role as a mediator.

Niger occupies a particularly important position in Algeria’s security calculations. The two countries share a long southern border, while instability in Niger can have direct consequences for Algeria through cross-border terrorism, organised crime, arms and drug trafficking, irregular migration and other forms of insecurity.

The country also sits at the heart of the Sahel, an area where military governments have consolidated power in recent years and where regional and international competition over security, energy, investment and trade routes has intensified.

For Algeria, developments in Niger carry implications beyond the immediate security of Niamey. A prolonged crisis in its southern neighbour could put additional pressure on Algeria’s borders and undermine economic and transport links across the region.

The latest deployment also reflects a changing Algerian approach to relations with Sahel states ruled by military authorities. Algiers has faced tensions with several of its neighbours in recent years, but has increasingly sought to overcome political differences by focusing on common security and economic interests.

Niger offers a particularly clear example of that approach.

Algeria has supported development and energy projects in the country, including a 40-megawatt power station in Gorou Banda. Algerian state energy company Sonatrach has also worked with Niger’s national oil company on an exploration project near the countries’ shared border.

Those economic links provide a foundation for broader cooperation at a time when Algeria is seeking to restore its position in a Sahel where its traditional diplomatic influence faces growing competition.

The region’s strategic landscape has changed considerably. Military governments have taken power in several Sahel countries, relations with some Western partners have deteriorated and new regional and international players have sought greater influence through security partnerships, investments, energy projects and political engagement.