NIAMEY – A military uprising erupted in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Saturday. Government forces managed to suppress it with the support of the Russian African Corps. According to information published by the German magazine Der Spiegel and the AFP news agency, rebel soldiers occupied several strategic locations, including an airport, a nearby military base, and the headquarters of the national television and radio company. They subsequently attempted to attack the presidential palace.
According to available reports, the attack on the presidential palace was repelled. Government forces then gradually regained control of the facilities previously occupied by the rebels. According to media reports, members of the Russian African Corps, which operates in Niger with the cooperation of local authorities, were also involved in the operation. The insurgents subsequently withdrew and barricaded themselves at military base 101 in Niamey. Government forces, together with members of the African Corps, reportedly attacked and recaptured the base.
"Niger regained control of the military base – with the help of the Russian African Corps," Der Spiegel reported, citing sources. The German magazine also wrote that, according to security officials, the uprising gradually subsided, and a key airbase returned under government control after the intervention of Russian units. Dozens of insurgents were reportedly arrested after the fighting ended. Some participants in the rebellion reportedly died during clashes. However, the exact number of casualties and the circumstances of their deaths have not been independently confirmed.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently confirmed the involvement of the Russian African Corps. "The attacks were repelled by national forces with the assistance of soldiers from the African Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defense," the ministry said. The event represents another significant security test for Niger, which has undergone a major political and military transformation in recent years. Since the military coup in 2023, the country has gradually distanced itself from traditional Western partners and strengthened cooperation with Russia. A key role in this change has also been played by issues of security and the fight against armed groups operating in the Sahel region.
The suppression of the latest uprising also highlights the growing importance of security cooperation between Niger and Russia. The presence of the African Corps in the country is part of a broader Russian engagement in Africa, which Moscow has been strengthening in recent years, particularly in the Sahel region. According to available information, the situation in Niamey is now under control by government security forces. Further developments may reveal whether this was an isolated uprising by a faction of the military or whether the incident exposed deeper divisions within Niger's security structures.
gnews.cz - Jan Vojtěch