Algeria Deploys Fighter Jets to Niger to Stop Alleged Coup

Algeria has confirmed that it sent fighter jets to neighbouring Niger to help prevent what it described as an attempted coup against Niger’s military government.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboun revealed that the deployment was intended to deter what he called a “coup attempt.” In an interview broadcast on October 3, Tebboune said Algeria decided to act because certain parties had “gone too far,” although he did not identify who was behind the alleged attempt.

The deployment took place on August 30, 2026, after mutinous soldiers launched attacks in Niger’s capital, Niamey. Gunfire and explosions were reported overnight on August 28–29, with soldiers targeting a military base at Diori Hamani International Airport, the state broadcaster and the presidential palace. Nigerien forces, backed by Russia’s Africa Corps, eventually regained control. Algeria’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the deployment at the time. It said four Su-30 fighter jets, accompanied by an aerial refuelling aircraft, flew to Niamey at the request of Nigerien authorities to support the army in confronting the attempt to destabilise the country.

The mutiny lasted for nearly 24 hours and involved soldiers taking colleagues hostage and attacking strategic locations. The fighting exposed growing tensions within Niger’s military, particularly over worsening security conditions and repeated losses in the fight against jihadist groups. Russia’s Africa Corps also assisted Nigerien forces in retaking the key airbase. Dozens of mutineers were reportedly killed or arrested, while three members of the presidential guard were killed.

The move is significant because Algeria has traditionally maintained a strong policy of non-intervention in conflicts outside its borders. Sending fighter jets into Niger therefore represents a major shift in its regional military posture. It also strengthens Algeria’s security relationship with Niger at a time when the Sahel is experiencing increasing instability. Both countries share a long border, and Algeria sees instability in the region as a direct threat to its own national security.

For Niger’s military government, the intervention provided another important show of regional support. But it also highlights just how fragile the security situation remains: less than three years after Niger’s 2023 coup, the military government itself faced an armed challenge from within its own forces.

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