Niamey, Niger — Algeria Sent Fighter Jets to Stop Coup Bid

Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune says his government sent fighter jets to Niger in late August to help stop a mutiny he called a "coup attempt," according to excerpts from an interview with local media broadcast Saturday.

The remarks are Tebboune's first detailed public account of why Algiers rushed warplanes to the Nigerien capital, Niamey, after renegade soldiers attacked the airport and the presidential palace.

What happened in Niamey during the mutiny?

Gunfire and explosions rang out overnight on August 28 into August 29, Al Jazeera reported. Renegade soldiers first targeted a military base at Diori Hamani International Airport, then struck the state broadcaster and the presidential palace. Niger's defense minister, General Salifou Modi, said a group of military personnel tried to detain fellow soldiers at Air Base 101 and opened fire on strategic locations before security forces regained control.

Why did Algeria send fighter jets?

Algeria's Defense Ministry said on August 30 that it sent four Sukhoi Su-30 jets, in two patrols, along with an air-to-air refueling plane, at the request of Nigerien authorities. The ministry described the deployment as a mission to help the Nigerien army confront an attempt to destabilize the country, Al Jazeera reported.

Tebboune, in the interview excerpts, said the jets went because some parties had "gone too far." He did not name who he meant, or say whether he was pointing to people inside Niger or outside it.

"For obvious reasons, this is a provocation against us … and I too will send planes and we'll meet head-on," Tebboune said, according to Al Jazeera.

What did Niger's prime minister say about his Algeria trip?

Tebboune noted that Niger's Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, had been in Algeria on a visit and flew home the night before the mutiny began. Zeine led a high-level delegation to Algiers on August 26–27 aimed at expanding cooperation between the two countries, Al Jazeera reported.

Who does Niger blame for the mutiny?

Niger's military government accused France last month of orchestrating the failed mutiny. France has denied any involvement in the events in its former colony, according to Al Jazeera.

What is the Algeria-Niger relationship?

Algeria and Niger share a long land border and close security and military ties. Algiers views stability across the Sahel as central to its own national security, Al Jazeera reported. The two governments have not released additional detail on how long the Algerian jets remained in Niamey or whether further forces were sent.

The full interview with Tebboune was set for broader release following Saturday's broadcast excerpts. Readers can follow the original Al Jazeera report for updates as more of the interview airs.