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The upper house of Algeria's parliament has unanimously approved the deployment of troops to neighbouring Niger, marking a potential first foreign military mission since the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
The Council of the Nation held an emergency session on Sunday to vote on the deployment, which now awaits approval from the lower house, the People's National Assembly. The vote follows a recent defence pact and a visit by Niger's Defence Minister General Salifou Modi to Algeria, where a military cooperation protocol was signed.
The military units are expected to be tasked with securing oil facilities in Niger. This comes after Algeria sent fighter jets to Niger in late August to help thwart a "coup attempt" in Niamey. The Algerian Ministry of Defence stated that four Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft were deployed at the request of Nigerien authorities.
Relations between Algeria and Niger have seen a significant rapprochement in recent months, following a period of tension. The deployment, if fully approved, would be a historic move, as it would be Algeria's first troop deployment abroad since the 1973 War.