Exclusive: Turkey to train Niger army in fight against militant groups
Ankara plans to send battle-hardened military advisers to Niamey as Turkish government crafts a Sahel strategy to deepen relations
By Levent Kemal and Ragip Soylu in Ankara
Published date: 22 September 2025
Turkey will soon deploy troops to help train Niger's military to counter militant groups as Ankara increasingly turns its focus to Africa, Middle East Eye understands.
Sources familiar with the matter told MEE that Turkey has been pursuing a closer security partnership with Niger since 2020, when the countries signed a military training and cooperation agreement.
In July 2023, Niger's military ousted the civilian government, promising to address terrorism and other security issues.
By cancelling security deals with western partners, the junta signalled its search for new alliances such as Turkey and Russia.
In July, Turkey and Niger also signed a military financial cooperation agreement, further solidifying their commitment to work together in defence.
Ibrahim Bachir Abdoulaye, a doctoral researcher at the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies, told MEE that Russian support for Niger has proven insufficient to meet the country’s defence needs, making it necessary for Nigeriens to diversify their foreign relations.
“At this point, Turkey, with its developing defence industry, growing interest in the Sahel region and independent foreign policy has become an ideal partner for Niger,” he said.
A source familiar with Ankara’s thinking told MEE that recent developments in Syria and Iraq have made it easier for Turkey to redeploy some forces to Africa. Since May, Ankara’s new outreach to Kurdish groups has created an uneasy calm in both countries.
According to the source, a small number of Turkish commandos and special forces who in the past served and gained experience in Syria and Iraq will be deployed to Niger, where they will assist the army with training as part of the fight against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda.
Two people familiar with the matter said that at least four battalions will provide training and advisory support in Niger, though Turkish forces will not directly participate in combat.
The deployment does not require Turkish parliamentary approval, since the troops will be present in a limited “visiting” capacity and will not establish bases or secure territory.
In May, Niger unilaterally terminated an intelligence-sharing agreement with both Turkey and Russia, citing “ineffectiveness in surveillance operations, particularly in telephone interception”. However, the government has maintained its military ties with Turkey.
Abdoulaye noted that the military financial cooperation deal would allow Niger to acquire modern weapons - including military drones, ammunition a nd other equipment - along with training and technical support for its army.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-train-niger-army-fight-militant-groups
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