Thousands of people gathered in Niamey, Niger’s capital, on Wednesday, September 2, to show support for junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani, days after an attempted military mutiny was reportedly put down.
The rally at Place de la Concertation included junta supporters and government ministers. Demonstrators shouted anti-imperialist slogans, while Russian flags were visible in the crowd, reflecting Niger’s increasingly close relationship with Russia.
The backdrop is significant: fighting erupted in Niamey over the weekend when mutinous soldiers reportedly attacked sensitive military sites, including areas around the presidential palace and the airport. Niger’s authorities said they were gradually restoring control.
Tiani seized power in a 2023 coup and has since moved Niger away from France and toward closer security cooperation with Russia. He has not publicly addressed the country since the attempted uprising.
The junta has alleged that the mutiny was backed by actors abroad, with state media previously accusing France, although the reports cited here do not provide independent evidence establishing that claim.
The rally appears designed to demonstrate that Tiani still has public and political backing after the mutiny, while also reinforcing the junta’s message of national sovereignty and its strategic shift toward Russia.
