Niger: Algiers deploys air formation to Niamey after attempted coup

Algeria dispatched an air formation comprising Sukhoi and Ilyushin aircraft to Niamey following an attempted coup in Niger, Le Monde reports. The operation took place the day after the attempted putsch, according to the French daily.

Le Monde links the initiative to Algiers’ desire to safeguard its strategic interests in the Sahel. The deployment comes against a regional backdrop in which Niger occupies an important place in the security balance of Algeria’s neighbourhood.

A shift described as major

The newspaper describes the dispatch of the air formation as a break with Algeria’s tradition of military non-intervention abroad. It sees it as ushering in a new doctrine of military deployment beyond Algeria’s borders.

The aircraft mentioned are Sukhoi and Ilyushin models. No further details were provided in the reported information on their number, operational mission or the length of their stay in Niamey.

The Sahel at the heart of Algeria’s strategic interests

According to Le Monde, Algeria’s decision is directly linked to its strategic interests in the Sahel. The dispatch to the Nigerien capital followed a period of significant political instability, marked by the attempted overthrow cited by the newspaper.