Vote to send forces comes after a recent defence pact between two neighbouring countries.
Published On 25 Oct 2026
Algeria’s Senate unanimously backed sending troops to neighboring Niger.
The Algerian constitution grants the president authority to deploy armed forces abroad, provided both parliamentary chambers approve the move by a two‑thirds majority.
The Council of the Nation held an emergency session on Sunday to vote on the deployment, while the lower house (People’s National Assembly) is expected to convene a separate session later in the evening, according to the newspaper El Khabar. If approved, this would be Algeria’s first overseas mission since the 1973 Arab‑Israeli war, known as the October War or Yom Kippur War.
The forces slated for deployment are expected to secure oil facilities in Niger.
The decision follows a recent visit by Niger’s defense minister, General Salifou Modi, who met with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and army chief General Said Chanegriha.
During the visit, Algeria and Niger signed a military cooperation protocol; the details were not disclosed.
President Tebboune confirmed earlier this month that Algeria sent fighter jets to Niger in late August to help thwart a coup attempt that destabilized the capital, Niamey.
The Algerian Ministry of Defense said it dispatched four jets—two patrols of four Sukhoi Su‑30 aircraft each—along with an aerial refueling tanker to Niamey airport following the unrest.
The aircraft were deployed at Niger’s request to support its army against efforts to destabilize the brotherly state, the ministry stated on August 30.
Algeria and Niger have significantly improved relations across political, diplomatic, military and economic spheres in recent months after a period of tension.
