Niger Mutiny Crushed with Russian Military Support

After nearly 24 hours of unrest, dozens of soldiers in Niger’s capital, Niamey, were arrested or killed following an attempted mutiny at a military base located inside the city’s main airport and near the presidential palace. The revolt was reportedly led by young soldiers angered by worsening militant violence and the continued deaths of security personnel under the current government. Analysts and diplomats said Russia’s Africa Corps provided aerial and ground support to Nigerien forces attempting to suppress the rebellion. Niger’s state broadcaster, RTN, broadcast footage of mostly young soldiers being paraded publicly after gunfire and explosions were heard overnight. The whereabouts of military leader Abdourahamane Tchiani, also referred to in the report as Abdourahmane Tiani, were initially unclear. According to Russia’s ambassador to Niger, Viktor Voropayev, senior Nigerien military officers visited the Africa Corps base and thanked its personnel for helping put down the mutiny. The rebelling soldiers reportedly remained at the base until late Saturday, while the presidential guard protected the palace and moved to retake the facility. Although loyalist forces appeared to have regained control of the airport and base, researcher Wassim Nasr said it was uncertain whether other forces moving toward Niamey intended to support the mutiny or the government. After order was restored, hundreds of people gathered in Niamey to express support for Tiani. He seized power in a 2023 coup, citing the elected government’s failure to stop jihadist violence. Since then, Niger has ended security ties with longtime Western partners and turned to Russia, but militant attacks and killings of security forces have continued. Diplomats and analysts said some mutineers came from the southwest, one of the country’s regions most affected by insecurity, suggesting that battlefield conditions may have contributed to the unrest.

Russia says its African Corps forces helped Nigerien security forces repel an attempted coup in the capital, Niamey, on Saturday. Explosions and gunfire were reported around the city, including at Air Base 101, a strategically important military facility within the Diori Hamani airport complex, and near the presidential palace. Niger’s authorities later said the rebellion had been contained. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the Nigerien forces acted “with the assistance of servicemen of the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defence.” Moscow pledged to continue supporting Niger in its fight against extremists and said the situation was under the control of the legitimate authorities led by President Gen Abdourahmane Tiani. Tiani seized power in a 2023 coup, deposing Niger’s elected president, and has not publicly commented on the latest incident. The Alliance of Sahel States—comprising the military-led governments of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso—described the attempted coup as a betrayal and an effort to destabilise the country. Officials have not disclosed how many soldiers participated or whether there were casualties. State television showed footage of alleged mutineers being arrested by the Presidential Guard, while commercial activity in Niamey reportedly began returning to normal the following day. Pro-government supporters also gathered in the capital to back the security forces and Tiani’s administration. Air Base 101 houses Nigerien aircraft and drones, an Alliance of Sahel States counter-terrorism unit, and Russian and Italian forces, according to Reuters. The base has already been attacked twice this year by affiliates of Islamic State and al-Qaeda. The attempted mutiny therefore underscores the government’s dual security challenge: confronting persistent jihadist insurgencies while managing possible dissatisfaction within the armed forces. Authorities have increased patrols around key sites in Niamey, including the airport entrance and presidential pavilion.

Niger’s capital, Niamey, returned to relative calm after loyalist forces suppressed a mutiny that posed a serious challenge to the military junta ruling the country since the 2023 coup. The unrest began around midnight between Friday and Saturday, when young soldiers exchanged gunfire with forces loyal to junta leader Abdourahamane Tchiani near Diori Hamani International Airport and the presidential palace. The airport hosts Base 101, a military facility that also serves as the headquarters of Russia’s Africa Corps in Niger. Niger’s defence ministry said soldiers had taken fellow troops hostage and attacked sensitive sites, but it did not explain the cause of the rebellion. Dozens of soldiers were reportedly killed or arrested and later shown on state television. Authorities did not announce charges or clarify the fate of the detainees. Military trucks and checkpoints remained visible across Niamey on Sunday, while Tchiani had not made a public appearance. Analysts and diplomats said the mutineers resisted loyalist forces for hours at the airport until Russia’s Africa Corps provided ground and aerial support. Russia’s ambassador to Niger said the government had requested assistance and that the mutineers were neutralized with the Russian force’s intervention. The Africa Corps is believed to have 200 to 300 personnel in Niger, where it protects the junta and assists in combating jihadi groups. The mutiny appears to have been driven by frustration over worsening insecurity and repeated jihadi attacks, including the reported deaths of at least 18 soldiers in the Dosso region a week earlier. Analysts said the junta’s failure to improve security has intensified discontent among troops deployed against militants. Burkina Faso and Mali, which share Niger’s military-led political trajectory and are members of the Alliance of Sahel States, expressed support for Niger, as did Algeria and Turkey.