Algeria’s mass deportations of migrants ignite diplomatic tensions with Niger

Algeria has expelled nearly 5,000 African migrants to neighboring Niger since early April, further straining already precarious diplomatic relations between the two nations, as reported by Niger’s state television.

In a statement earlier this week, Télé Sahel, the state broadcaster of Niger, condemned Algeria’s actions, asserting that the country has disregarded African and international laws by forcibly removing thousands of migrants, including Nigeriens, from its territory.

From April 1 to April 21, Algerian authorities deported 2,753 Nigerien citizens, among whom were 308 minors and 196 women, according to security officials in Assamaka, a border town in Niger. These individuals were transported via what officials described as “official convoys,” which involved vehicles provided under bilateral agreements, and were received by local authorities upon arrival.

In addition to this group, another 2,222 migrants reached Assamaka on foot, a category referred to as “pedestrian deportees.” This group included 146 Nigeriens and 2,076 individuals from other African nations.

Reports from Télé Sahel highlighted the plight of those abandoned at the border, forced to traverse approximately 15 kilometers in extreme conditions to reach safety. The channel aired distressing footage of weary migrants arriving in Assamaka, many suffering from injuries sustained during their ordeal, allegedly inflicted by Algerian security forces.

Warnings have been issued regarding the potential for this humanitarian crisis to escalate into a catastrophe. General Mohamed Toumba, Niger’s Interior Minister, commented on the security implications of the deportations, expressing concern over the impact on Niger’s stability and calling for assistance from the UN’s International Organization for Migration and the High Commissioner for Refugees to facilitate the return of migrants to their home countries.

The backdrop to these expulsions is a notable deterioration in Algeria's relations with several Sahel states. Recently, ambassadors from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso were recalled from Algeria following accusations that Algerian forces shot down a Malian drone. Algeria dismissed these allegations, asserting that it had acted against an armed drone that had violated its airspace.

Tensions flared further last year when Niger’s military government summoned the Algerian ambassador to address concerns over the “violent nature” of deportation operations. Algeria reciprocated by summoning Niger’s ambassador, characterizing the allegations as “unfounded.”

Since 2014, Algeria has been expelling irregular migrants from Niger and other African countries, with many using Algeria as a transit point to Europe. In 2024, over 31,000 migrants were deported from Algeria to Niger, marking a record high according to the Nigerien NGO Alarme Phone Sahara.

Speculations abound that the increase in deportations may be connected to ongoing diplomatic negotiations between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger regarding relations with Israel, as well as a potential reprisal for Niger's support of Mali amid the diplomatic crisis involving Algeria and the Sahel states.