The Algerian Connection: Pro-Russian Support for Military Junta in Niger

2023-08-05 13:31:35

Algiers knew since the beginning of the summer that a coup d’etat was brewing behind the scenes of the Niger Army once morest the democratically elected legitimate President Mohamed Bazoum. The Algerian authorities were informed beforehand that an action was being prepared within the Niger Army. This information reached Algiers from… Moscow, certify our sources. It is the security office of the Embassy of Algeria in Moscow which would have obtained this information from Russian intelligence officials with whom the Algerian secret service attachés in Moscow held a preparatory meeting in anticipation of the official visit. in Russia of Said Chengriha, Chief of Staff of the Algerian Army, who arrived in Moscow on 31 July.

The Algerian authorities thus knew that the Nigerien soldiers had made contact with the Russian authorities to claim their support and support in anticipation of their operation to overthrow President Mohamed Bazoum. However, it seems, our sources confirm, that the Algerian leaders have made no objection to this plan to destabilize neighboring Niger. The Algerian interlocutors of the Russian military or intelligence authorities did not criticize or wish to preserve the constitutional order in Niamey. This means that the Algerian regime seemed totally in favor of Russia supporting and sponsoring the future military junta being created in Niger. This pro-Russian position in the Sahel is also confirmed by the refusal of the Algerian authorities to collaborate with France on the subject of the Niger crisis. Our sources certify in this regard that the Algerian leaders refused to exchange information with the French authorities concerning the evolution of the security or political situation in Niger. Solicited by the classic channels of security cooperation, the Algerian authorities refused to validate the principle of a crisis meeting on the situation in Niger bringing together the Algerian intelligence services with their counterparts from the French DGSE. It was regarding a meeting where the two parties were to exchange their views, analyzes and recommendations concerning the management of the situation in Niger given that Algeria is the most powerful and important neighbor of this Sahelian state. These meetings were until then a tradition rooted in cooperation between the French and Algerian services. The strengthening of exchanges within the framework of these cooperation meetings was a principle acquired in particular since the famous meeting of August 26, 2022 at the Presidential Residence of Zéralda in Algiers which brought together Emmanuel Macron, Bernard Emié, the head of the DGSE, with Abdelmadjid Tebboune , the Algerian President, Said Chengriha, the head of the Algerian Army, and several other senior officials of the Algerian secret services. Algiers taunts Paris more than ever to look towards… Moscow.

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