Sonatrach Oil Sites in Niger to Receive Algerian Troop Protection
Algerian lawmakers voted on Sunday to authorize a military deployment to the border state, a departure from the country's long-standing policy of nonintervention.
By Oscar Fuentes ·
Algerian troops will be deployed to Niger to guard state-owned oil infrastructure, according to a parliamentary decision ratified on Sunday.
The move follows a period of shifting alliances in the Sahel and serves to protect assets belonging to Sonatrach, the national energy company. This represents a notable change for a military force that has historically avoided overseas operations.
The lower house, the People's National Assembly, approved the proposal on Sunday. The upper house, the Council of the Nation, had already given unanimous support earlier that day. Lawmakers have not yet specified the number of soldiers involved or the precise timeline for their arrival.
Relations between Algiers and Niamey have improved in recent months. President Abdourahamane Tchiani visited Algeria in February, and his defense minister, Salifou Mody, traveled to Algiers later to discuss security cooperation. This thaw occurred after a diplomatic crisis in April when Algeria shot down a Malian drone, prompting Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to recall their ambassadors.
The deployment is grounded in the 2020 constitutional revision that formalized the conditions for overseas military missions. Under Article 91, the president can authorize such deployments if at least two-thirds of each chamber of parliament approves. Senator Belkacem Boulghiti stated that the mission is designed to secure economic infrastructure rather than wage war. He described the action as an adaptation of doctrine to meet new challenges in the Sahel region.
The decision coincides with a realignment of foreign military presence in the area. France withdrew its troops from Niger in December 2023, and the United States pulled approximately 1,000 soldiers out of the country in 2024. In their place, Russian personnel associated with the Africa Corps arrived in Niamey in April 2024 to provide training and equipment.
Algeria spent more than $25 billion on its armed forces in 2025, making it the largest military spender in Africa. The country shares long borders with Mali, Niger, and Libya, regions that have experienced six military coups since 2012. The deployment aims to safeguard the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline project, which would transport Nigerian gas through Niger and Algeria to Europe.
Source: Al Jazeera
