Algeria deploys fighter jets to Niger after a mutiny in Niamey

Algeria has just sent 4 Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and a refuelling plane to Niger after an attempted military uprising that took place in the country’s capital. According to an August 31st report by Middle East Online, the operation was ordered under President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s instructions to strengthen strategic cooperation between Algeria and Niger.

The arrival of the new Algerian aircraft follows a flare-up amongst soldiers that took place between the night of August 28 and the morning of the 29th. According to Niger’s Defence Minister, Salifou Mody, the incident was an internal mutiny where renegade soldiers attempted to detain colleagues inside Air Base 101, a military installation located at Niamey’s Diori Hamani International Airport. According to a recent Maghrebi report, this “military base is strategically important because it hosts Nigerien military aircraft and drones, as well as a counter-terrorism unit“. By August 30th, however, government forces had managed to retake the airbase after hours of fighting.

This show of solidarity by Algiers reflects the evolution of Algiers foreign policy in the Sahel region. Bilateral relations had faced a lot of strain over the last few years. This period was marked by a diplomatic rift and security disputes with neighbouring Mali, which reached a boiling point with the shooting of a Malian drone on the border. In Niger, the 2023 coup in which the country’s current government seized power led to a ten-month diplomatic freeze with Algeria. In fact, Niger’s ambassador only officially returned to Algiers on February 12, 2026.

Although Algiers struggled with the arrival of putschist governments at its doorstep in 2023, it has since worked to bridge those gaps. The recent visit of the Nigerien Prime Minister to Algeria highlights how much relations have improved. As does recent economic collaboration between the two countries. These include a 40-megawatt power station in Gorou Banda and border oil exploration by Algerian state company Sonatrach.

Ultimately, any instability in the Sahel countries has direct implications for Algeria due to the porous nature of the borders separating them. Unrest on the other side of the desert could lead to an uptick in arms trafficking, terrorism, and migration towards Algeria. Facing these threats, to protect its borders, Algiers has no choice but to step up its footprint in the Sahel region to prevent these issues from spilling over.

Maghrebi.org, Middle East Online.