Turkey has deployed private military contractors to Niger, escalating its involvement in the Sahel region amid the fragile security dynamics in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ADF has reported.

The Sahel has become a hub for global terrorism, with groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) entrenched in the area. Analysts caution that Turkish mercenaries could face challenges similar to those experienced by Russian contractors, who have struggled to counter these Islamic extremist groups.

“Turkey also has opportunities to increase economic and military cooperation with Burkina Faso and Mali, but Russia’s larger presence in both countries will pose a greater obstacle,” wrote Liam Karr, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War, earlier this year.

Sadat International Defense Consultancy, a Turkish private military company with close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has reportedly sent 1,100 fighters, mainly recruited from Syrian refugee camps. They are stationed in the Liptako-Gourma region, a hotspot for extremist violence. Turkish officials claim the deployment aims to safeguard economic interests, including mining operations, though reports suggest mercenaries are also engaging in combat.

The strategy mirrors Russia’s previous deployment of mercenaries, now operating under the banner of Africa Corps following the collapse of the Wagner Group. Russian forces have sustained heavy losses, including a fatal ambush in Mali in July. Both Turkey and Russia have drawn on Syria’s displaced populations for recruitment, offering financial incentives. The BBC reported that earlier in 2024, Turkey offered Syrian refugees $1,500 for a six-month term in Niger, significantly higher than the wages paid by Syrian opposition forces.

Turkey’s deepening involvement in Niger follows its strengthened post-coup ties with the country, which included the delivery of Bayraktar TB2 drones in 2022. However, Ankara’s ambitions to extend its influence to Burkina Faso and Mali face substantial hurdles due to Moscow’s entrenched position in these countries.