Russian forces from the African Corps assisted Nigerien troops in thwarting an attempted coup in Niamey, Moscow said, after explosions and gunfire were reported near a major military airbase and the presidential palace.
Nigerien authorities said the mutiny had been brought under control, while Russia said President Abdourahmane Tiani’s government remained in charge. The Alliance of Sahel States, made up of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, denounced the attempted seizure of power as an effort to destabilise the country.
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The episode underscores the persistent security pressures facing Niger, where jihadist violence continues despite the military government’s closer partnership with Russia and its departure from Western alliances.
