ALGIERS, Algeria — Algeria’s upper house of parliament, the Council of the Nation, unanimously approved the deployment of troops to Niger in an emergency session on Sunday, Al Jazeera reported.
The lower house is due to vote later; approval requires two-thirds of both chambers. The deployment would be Algeria’s first military mission abroad since 1973, and the troops are to help secure oil facilities, Al Jazeera reported, citing El Khabar.
The move follows a visit by Niger’s Defence Minister Gen. Salifou Modi, who met President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and army chief Gen. Said Chanegriha. The two sides signed a military cooperation protocol.
Algeria sent Su-30 fighter jets to Niger in late August in response to what was described as a coup attempt in Niamey.
Sources: Al Jazeera
—
