Niger reshuffles top army command after failed mutiny
General Mamane Sani Kiaou has been appointed head of Niger’s armed forces weeks after a mutiny exposed tensions within the military government.
Niger’s military government has reshuffled its senior army command following a failed mutiny that began on 28 August and lasted almost 24 hours.
A decree read on state television appointed General Mamane Sani Kiaou, previously army chief of staff, as head of the armed forces. He replaces General Moussa Salaou Barmou, whose removal was not explained.
General Abdourahmane Abou Zataka has been promoted to succeed Kiaou as army chief of staff. Regional broadcaster RFI also reported that General Ismael K Sidi Omar was named deputy chief of the general staff. Sidi Omar previously commanded Base 101, identified as a centre of the mutiny.
The fighting involved the presidential palace, Niamey’s international airport and a nearby military base. Dozens of mutineers were reportedly killed or arrested, along with three presidential guard members, although the government has not disclosed an overall death toll or charges against detained soldiers.
The government required ground and air support from Russia’s Africa Corps during the crisis. Analysts and diplomats cited by the Associated Press reportedly linked the mutiny to worsening attacks by armed groups and poor military conditions, but its motives remain unclear.
The changes come as the government led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani continues to consolidate power after the July 2023 coup. Niger has shifted its military partnerships away from France and the United States towards Russia, while violence has continued to deteriorate.
