Algeria has moved quickly to show its support for Niger after a military mutiny shook the capital, Niamey, sending four fighter jets to the country as Nigerien forces worked to restore control over a key military base.

Algeria's Defence Ministry said two patrols made up of four Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft arrived at Niamey airport on Sunday. An aerial refuelling aircraft accompanied the fighters. The deployment was made at the request of Nigerien authorities, according to the ministry.

The aircraft arrived just as Niger was emerging from one of the most serious internal security challenges faced by its military government in recent months.

For hours on Saturday, gunfire and explosions were heard around Niamey after soldiers at a military facility near the international airport turned against their commanders. The unrest spread to several sensitive locations, including areas close to the presidential palace.

By Sunday, Niger's authorities said loyalist forces had regained control of the strategic airbase.

The fighting appears to have been driven by frustration among some soldiers over the country's worsening security situation and the heavy losses Nigerien forces have suffered while fighting Islamist armed groups.

A tense night in Niamey

The trouble began at Base 101, a military installation located at Diori Hamani International Airport.

Mutinous soldiers seized parts of the base and later targeted other sensitive sites in the capital. The airport was particularly important because of the military facilities operating there and the presence of foreign security personnel.

The unrest lasted through the night and into Saturday as government forces tried to push the mutineers back.

Niger's authorities eventually regained control of the base, with Russian Africa Corps personnel also providing assistance to government forces, according to reports. Several mutineers were arrested or killed during the operation.

The incident was not simply another security problem in a country already fighting an insurgency. It exposed divisions within the very military that has ruled Niger since the 2023 coup.

Algeria's message to Niger

Against that background, the arrival of Algerian fighter aircraft carries considerable political weight.

The Su-30s are among the most capable aircraft in Algeria's air force, and their deployment gives Niger an immediate boost to its military presence in the capital.

Algeria described the mission as support for the Nigerien army against an attempt to destabilise the country.

The move also shows how quickly Niger's military government can now turn to regional partners when it faces a serious threat.

Relations between Algeria and Niger have strengthened in recent months. Earlier this month, Algeria also provided Niger with four military helicopters and other equipment, including spare parts and ammunition.

The latest deployment therefore comes as part of a broader military relationship rather than as an isolated gesture.

Niger's military is under pressure

The mutiny has highlighted a problem that has been building for some time.

Niger's military government took power in 2023 after overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum, arguing that the previous government had failed to protect the country from armed groups.

But the security situation has remained difficult.

Militants affiliated with Islamic State and al-Qaeda continue to operate in several parts of Niger, particularly in regions close to the country's borders with Mali and Burkina Faso.

Nigerien troops have suffered repeated casualties in these operations. According to reporting on the mutiny, frustration over battlefield losses and the government's handling of the security crisis was among the factors contributing to discontent inside the armed forces.

That makes the events in Niamey particularly uncomfortable for General Abdourahamane Tiani's government.

The junta came to power promising to restore security. Nearly three years later, it is still fighting a powerful insurgency while also having to deal with dissatisfaction inside its own military.

Russia's role is also becoming clearer

Russia has become one of Niger's most important security partners since the country's relations with Western powers deteriorated following the 2023 coup.

Members of Russia's Africa Corps were involved in helping Nigerien forces put down the latest mutiny, according to several reports.

The presence of Russian personnel alongside Nigerien forces during the crisis is significant because the country's military government has increasingly relied on Moscow after pushing away former Western security partners.

Algeria's decision to send fighter aircraft adds another regional dimension to the response.

Instead of looking primarily to Western powers for military assistance, Niger is increasingly turning toward neighbouring countries and other partners with which it has developed closer relations.

The Sahel's changing alliances

Niger is part of the Alliance of Sahel States alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, two other countries whose governments came to power through military coups.

The three countries have moved away from the traditional influence of France and other Western powers and have sought closer security cooperation with Russia.

Algeria has also been strengthening its relationship with the bloc.

That makes the latest events in Niamey more than an isolated military incident. They show how the security map of the Sahel continues to change, with regional governments increasingly relying on one another and on Russia rather than the Western partners that once dominated security operations in the region.

For Niger's government, however, the immediate priority is closer to home.

The authorities have regained the military base and restored calm in the capital, but the mutiny has raised uncomfortable questions about morale and trust within the armed forces.

The arrival of four Algerian Su-30s sends a strong signal of regional support. But it also comes at a moment when Niger's military government is being forced to confront a difficult reality: keeping control of the capital may be easier than solving the deeper security problems that caused soldiers to turn against their own commanders in the first place.