Niger junta, aided by Russian paramilitary forces, regains control after mutiny

What the report says

Niger’s defence ministry said on Sunday that loyalist forces were gradually restoring control in Niamey after a mutiny by soldiers that began late Friday and continued into Saturday. According to France 24’s reporting, the unrest centered on the presidential district and Diori Hamani International Airport, which also hosts a military air base and the headquarters of Russia’s Africa Corps in Niger.

The article says mutineers stormed the presidential palace area and held ground at the airport base before being pushed back by forces loyal to the ruling junta, which has governed since the 2023 coup. France 24 reported that the clashes involved sustained gunfire and led to arrests or deaths among the mutineers, though authorities did not immediately say what charges they might face. By Sunday, the capital appeared calmer, with soldiers and checkpoints deployed across key roads.

France 24 said several analysts and diplomats believed the mutiny was linked to worsening insecurity and repeated jihadi attacks in Niger and the wider Sahel. The reporting also said Russia’s Africa Corps intervened with ground and air support, helping the junta regain control. Russia’s ambassador to Niger was quoted in Russian media saying the mutineers were neutralized with Africa Corps involvement. The episode underscores the fragile security environment facing Niger’s military rulers and the growing role of outside partners in supporting them.