Algeria reinforces its military discourse amid growing tensions in the Sahel
The Algerian Army has launched an intense communication campaign on social networks to reaffirm its defensive doctrine, highlighting its preparedness for possible regional threats and sending a message to both the national and international public. This strategy is being developed amid growing instability in the Sahel region, particularly on the borders with Mali and Niger, where there is an increased presence of powers such as Russia and Turkey.
The campaign, deployed through the official platforms of the Ministry of Defence, includes video clips, audio recordings and images of military manoeuvres carried out on land, sea and air. The content extols the legacy of the National Liberation Army, the total preparedness of the National People's Army (ANP) and its human, technical and logistical capabilities.
Among the materials disseminated, a message from President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in his role as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, stands out, in which he praises the troops stationed at the borders and reiterates: ‘Algerians were born free and will remain free,’ he said in the speech, which also emphasised that ‘the National People's Army is in constant and maximum readiness,’ signalling the state of permanent alert since the worsening of the situation in the Sahel.
A hostile border
Algeria's concern has intensified following the recent incursion of a Malian military drone — a Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci — into its airspace, which was shot down by Algerian air defence units. This incident has increased diplomatic tension between Algeria and several governments in the region, especially Mali, whose ruling military council has accused Algeria of interference and has organised demonstrations in front of the Algerian embassy in Bamako.
For these reasons, this campaign is perceived as a direct response to these tensions and an attempt to bolster national morale, showing a firm stance by the Army against possible aggression. However, it is also perceived as an internal message that could deter protests or social movements at a critical moment, as any discontent could be interpreted as part of a conspiracy against the country.
The statements made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, during his visit to Tunisia, reinforce this narrative. As the head of Algerian diplomacy emphasised, ‘the conditions surrounding the two countries, at a regional and global level, are not at all promising and do not reassure the people’.
Algeria is losing influence in the Sahel to new actors: Russia and Turkey
Amidst rising tensions with the Sahel nations, Algeria must also contend with the growing prominence of Russia and Turkey in the unstable region. Military collaboration between these countries and the coup regimes in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has limited Algeria's traditionally dominant role in the region. This concern is reflected in the reciprocal withdrawal of ambassadors and in Algeria's closure of its airspace as a measure of diplomatic pressure.
Likewise, in a recent communiqué, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs harshly criticised the inability of the Sahel regimes to confront terrorism and their dependence on mercenaries, in a clear allusion to the Wagner Group, created and financed by Russia.
In fact, Wagner's actions in the Sahel have generated tensions between Algiers and Moscow, despite the strategic and historical relations between the two countries.
For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Moscow is willing to help strengthen the Sahel armies through advice and training, stating that ‘a large number’ of Russian instructors are already deployed in the area.
Faced with this instability on its southern border, the Algerian government has invested considerable resources in modernising its military sector. In addition to negotiations to acquire Russian Su-57 fighter jets and state-of-the-art defence systems, Algiers is also diversifying its strategic alliances, strengthening defence ties with India, Europe and the United States.
According to the 2024 Global Firepower report, Algeria is ranked 26th in the world military ranking and second in Africa, reflecting its ability to maintain internal stability and project power in an increasingly volatile region.