# Is Russia better at protecting friends than fighting enemies in West Africa?

https://mins.news/en/item/46319

- BBC News, 2026-09-05 04:03 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2z75keq58o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> After mutinous soldiers seized Niger’s Air Base 101 in Niamey, Russia’s Africa Corps helped loyalist forces retake it. The intervention suggests Moscow’s role in the Sahel extends beyond counter-insurgency to protecting and prolonging military rule, while jihadist violence remains unresolved.

## Stories

- [Niger Military Mutiny and Political Unrest](https://mins.news/en/topic/niger-military-mutiny) — Markdown: https://mins.news/en/topic/niger-military-mutiny.md

## Related coverage

- [Niger military accuses France of orchestrating failed mutiny: What to know](https://mins.news/en/item/47475) — Al Jazeera, 2026-09-06