Algeria sent fighter jets to Niger to thwart ‘coup attempt’, president says
News Source
•Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:03:08 +0000
📰 What Happened
Algeria's president says his country sent fighter jets to Niger in late August. Abdelmadjid Tebboune said the planes helped stop a coup attempt in Niger's capital, Niamey. He called the mutiny a "provocation" against Algeria.
Fighting broke out overnight on August 28 and 29. Soldiers attacked an airport base, the state broadcaster, and the presidential palace. Niger's leaders later said the coup had failed.
🔍 The Backstory
Niger has been run by a military government since a coup in 2023. It has turned away from France and grown closer to Russia. Algeria shares a long border with Niger and watches the region closely.
Earlier reports said Niger accused France of helping plan the failed coup. France denied it. The unrest shows how unstable the Sahel region has become.
🎯 Why It Matters
A failed coup and foreign warplanes in West Africa can fuel more fighting. A troubled Sahel can push migrants, prices, and security fears far beyond the region.
Algeria's president says his country sent fighter jets to Niger in late August. Abdelmadjid Tebboune said the planes helped stop a coup attempt in Niger's capital, Niamey. He called the mutiny a "provocation" against Algeria.
Fighting broke out overnight on August 28 and 29. Soldiers attacked an airport base, the state broadcaster, and the presidential palace. Niger's leaders later said the coup had failed.
Niger has been run by a military government since a coup in 2023. It has turned away from France and grown closer to Russia. Algeria shares a long border with Niger and watches the region closely.
Earlier reports said Niger accused France of helping plan the failed coup. France denied it. The unrest shows how unstable the Sahel region has become.
A failed coup and foreign warplanes in West Africa can fuel more fighting. A troubled Sahel can push migrants, prices, and security fears far beyond the region.