Algeria to send its troops to neighboring Niger. A pro-Russian junta is currently in power there

According to the Algerian parliament's statement, the proposal was supported by almost the entire majority of deputies from both chambers. The Algerian Constitution requires that the deployment of troops abroad be approved by at least two-thirds of the deputies of each chamber.

Authorities have not yet announced how many troops are planned to be sent to Niger or when the operation will begin. According to official statements, the mission will be limited in nature and will be aimed at protecting Algerian investments, primarily the energy facilities of the state oil and gas company Sonatrach.

Relations between Algeria and Niger remained tense for several months after Algeria shot down a drone that flew in from Mali last year. The incident caused a diplomatic scandal. Niger, along with its allies Mali and Burkina Faso, also ruled by military governments, recalled its ambassador from Algeria.

After this, neighboring countries began to restore relations and negotiate deeper cooperation in combating jihadist violence, cross-border crime, and smuggling. There is a desert border of about 960 kilometers between Algeria and Niger.

Security cooperation intensified in August after a military coup attempt in Niger was successfully thwarted. In early October, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune accused unnamed states of conspiring against the neighboring country and declared his readiness to "defend Niger at all costs."

Niger's Minister of Defense visited Algeria twice. During these visits, a protocol on military cooperation was signed, the details of which have not been fully disclosed. Algeria has already provided military assistance to the neighboring country, including helicopters and four Su-30 fighter jets.

Algeria's economic interests, especially in the oil and gas sector, play an important role in the rapprochement of the two states.

The state-owned company Sonatrach, through its subsidiary SIPEX, invests significant funds in Niger. SIPEX is involved in projects at the Kafra oil field, located approximately 85 kilometers from the Algerian border. According to estimates cited by the Turkish agency Anadolu, the reserves in this area exceed 2.5 billion barrels of oil. This makes it one of Sonatrach's most important foreign assets. On August 13, the company began drilling a new well in this area.

In addition, Niger is of strategic importance for the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project, which spans over 4,000 kilometers. It is intended to ensure gas supplies to Europe through Algerian territory.

In June, Algeria began work on the section of the pipeline passing through its territory. The country also commissioned a 40-megawatt power plant designed to supply electricity to Niger's capital, Niamey, and surrounding areas.

Observers believe that the decision on the possible deployment of troops indicates not only a desire to protect oil infrastructure but also a shift in Algeria's approach to regional politics. For decades, the country preferred diplomacy and dialogue and was very cautious about military intervention outside its territories.

Jeff Porter, an analyst at North Africa Risk Consulting, noted that the current step reflects a shift in Algerian policy. According to his assessment, the country's traditional tools of influence — dialogue and international law — are losing effectiveness amid global changes, which pushes Algeria towards a direct military presence in the region.

In Niger, since July 2023, power has been in the hands of a military junta led by General Abdourahamane Tiani. He overthrew the elected president Mohamed Bazoum, who remains in custody. Instability persists in the country, and armed attacks continue. The Russian "African Corps" has significant influence in the country, with its help the local authorities managed to suppress a military coup attempt in August.

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