Algeria’s military deployment to Niger: What’s behind the move?

Algeria’s parliament has approved a troop deployment to Niger, marking a departure from the country’s noninterventionist military doctrine. The number of soldiers and deployment date have not been announced; the decision follows Algeria’s dispatch of four Su-30 fighter jets, a transport plane and an aerial refuelling aircraft to Niamey nearly two months earlier. The reported aim is to protect Sonatrach oil installations, as Algiers and Niamey deepen security cooperation after a period of diplomatic tensions.