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Algeria to send troops to Niger in first foreign deployment since 1973
Reuters • • world
Key Points:
- Algeria's parliament unanimously approved the deployment of National Army units to Madama in northern Niger, marking Algeria's first foreign troop deployment since 1973, though no troops have been officially sent yet.
- The deployment site is a former French base near the Libyan border, used during Operation Barkhane, emphasizing Algeria's increased military cooperation with Niger amid regional security challenges.
- This move reflects a significant improvement in Algeria-Niger relations after previous tensions, including Algeria's opposition to Niger's 2023 coup and a diplomatic row over a Malian drone incident.
- Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, all ruled by military juntas, face insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, making regional stability a priority for Algeria, which shares a border with Niger.
- Algeria is also expanding economic ties with Niger, notably through energy cooperation involving the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and oil exploration projects in the Kafra region.
