Algeria's Senate Greenlights Troop Deployment to Niger

Algeria’s Senate has given the go-ahead to send troops to Niger to protect its energy facilities.

The Council of Nations approved the move during an emergency meeting on Sunday. The lower house is set to meet on Monday to discuss it.

If the lower house approves, Algeria will likely send troops to safeguard its facilities near the Niger border, especially in the Kafra oil region and other sites linked to Algeria’s state energy company, Sonatrach.

This deployment would mark Algeria’s first military mission outside its borders since the 1973 War involving Israel and several Arab nations.

The decision came after Niger’s Defence Minister, Salifou Modi, visited Algeria. He met with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, Said Chanegriha, last week. They signed a military cooperation agreement, but the details were not shared publicly.

President Tebboune had also mentioned that Algeria sent fighter jets to Niger in late August. This was to help stop a “coup attempt” that shook the capital, Niamey.

The Algerian Ministry of Defence reported that it had sent four jets to Niger due to the unrest. It said two patrols of four Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft landed at Niamey airport, along with an air-to-air refuelling plane.

The ministry added that the warplanes were sent at the request of Nigerien authorities to support the Nigerien army in facing an attempt to destabilise Niger.

Niger’s Defence Minister, Salifou Modi, revealed that a group of soldiers detained some of their fellow troops in August and fired at “certain sensitive sites” in the capital.

The clashes between the soldiers and Niger forces went on for several hours. The state broadcaster went off air temporarily, and gunfire and explosions were reported around the airport and presidential palace.

Niger has been dealing with ongoing attacks from armed groups, especially near the border with Algeria.

The country has become more isolated since the democratic government was overthrown in 2023. The military junta cut ties with France, leading to the withdrawal of French and US troops.

Niger also left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2025, along with Burkina Faso and Mali.

This situation has pushed Niger to look for new regional and Western allies.