Wagner - renamed Africa Corps - heavy losses in Mali, July 2024, were widely publicized. But not those of new mercenaries of Syrian origin deployed in the Sahel by Turkey in Niger. Estimated at least to one thousand, they belong to Sadat, a firm owned by Adnan Tanriverdi, former advisor to Turkish president. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, SOHR, which tracks the Syrian conflict, stated in May 2024, that Sadat had deployed in Niger, in September 2023, one thousand one hundred Syrian mercenaries, trained in Turkey. According to the same source, that company trained members of a security force protecting Colonel Assimi Goïta, Mali Transition President.
That led some experts to call Sadat the "Turkish Wagner". Sadat denies recruiting or deploying Syrian mercenaries in Africa, claiming, instead, to provide "consulting, training and logistics services to the armed and security forces in the defense and security fields, in accordance with the Turkish commercial code." In addition, BBC reported on July 15, 2024 that some of Sadat's soldiers in Niger found themselves under Russian command to fight terrorist groups in the Liptako-Gourma region. They operate in the so-called "three borders (Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger). The SOHR adds: "In Niger, Syrian mercenaries are supposed to protect mines, oil installations or military bases. But then they find themselves involved in fighting against jihadists. Nine of these Syrian fighters died there." The military offensive launched on April 4, 2019 by Marshal Khalifa Haftar, head of the Libyan National Army, to conquer Tripoli, seems to have given Turkey the idea of deploying mercenaries. In early 2020, reports indicated that Sadat had sent five thousands to prevent Marshal Haftar assault. They succeeded, since he was unable to take over the capital, seat of the Government of National Accord (GNA), then led by Prime Minister, Fayez al-Sarraj.
Syrian mercenaries.
These fighters come mostly from the Syrian National Army (SNA), a coalition of armed opposition groups, working closely with Turkey, in northern Syria. The military structure was formally founded in December 2017, in the midst of Syria civil war. Its elements were recruited by the Sultan Murad Division, a Turkmen rebel group in northern Syria, created in 2013 and supported by the United States and Turkey. Paid $46 per month in Syria, they earn up to $1,500 in Africa. After enlisting, they sign contracts with Sadat for between 6 and 12 months, following a rapid training. For them, Africa is a real El Dorado. Sadat is considered Turkey's secret weapon for its external operations in Africa and the Middle East. In the Sahel, it has arrived in an environment favorable to its activities. Indeed, in December 2019, an investigation published by the Pentagon revealed the rise of private military companies - American, French, British, Ukrainian and Russian in the Sahel. It was said that Omega Consulting Group, Ukrainian, had set up in Burkina Faso. Its mercenaries, with the profiles of adventurers, were paid 14,000 dollars (8,400,000 CFA francs) per month. In the Sahel, governments and even the UN, call on these companies to collection of information on the ground, specialized interventions, tactical transport, and medical evacuation and sometimes for the « exploitation » of arrested individuals.
The AKP and Africa
Since coming to power, following early elections of November 2002, Justice and Development Party, AKP, has continued to develop Turkish-African relations. Between 2002 and 2024, Turkey increased the number of its embassies in Africa from 12 to 43. Turkish Airlines expanded its African destinations from 4 in 2004 to 61 in 2024. At the same time, trade volume increased from 5.4 to 25.3 billion dollars in 2020. A plan Turkish president has worked to consolidate. Turkish Cooperation and Development Agency has opened 22 offices in Africa. Ankara's cultural influence is also consolidated by the Maarif Foundation with a network of 175 elite schools in 26 countries. More than six thousand Africans students are in Turkey, thanks to scholarships granted by Ankara. In February 2022, Turkish humanitarian aid foundation « IHH » announced the inauguration of 9 mosques in different regions of Niger, each equipped with a solar energy system while imams' salaries are covered for two years. In 2019, a Turkish reference hospital opened in Niamey while Turkey donated $5 million to the defunct G5 Sahel Joint Force to support its efforts against armed groups, in 2018.
However, the main pillar of Turkish influence offensive in the Sahel remains its military-industrial complex. With the second largest standing NATO army, after the US's, it has developed various types of weaponry at a level teasing those of the world's military powers. Its drones, for surveillance or armed, are highly appreciated in the Sahel.
Drones' diplomacy.
Turkey signed a defense agreement with Niamey in July 2020. That cooperation, with secret terms, may include, in particular, sending Turkish soldiers to Niger to train and support Niger and Nigerian forces in their fight against the terrorist organization Boko Haram. Turkish soldiers were also to help Nigerien soldiers secure the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso. That agreement « lays the foundations for direct operational support » in the fight against terrorism. From March 9 to 14, 2022, the then Niger President, Mohamed Bazoum, visited the main flagships of Turkish arms industry, including Baykar (TB2 drones) and Havelsan (border reconnaissance, security and surveillance radar system). Niamey had ordered several drones capable of destroying armored vehicles and missile systems with Baykar. He then visited headquarters of Tusas, another flagship of Turkish industry, to sign a contract for the acquisition of warplanes and to Nurol, the headquarters of an industrial conglomerate, created in 1989, operating mainly in construction, but also in energy and the military vehicles manufacturing. There, he attended a demonstration of the type of armored vehicles ordered by Niger and currently being manufactured. Niger was also on the order book of Rokestan, a company specializing in the manufacture of missiles and smart rockets.
Before the acquisition of these various airborne war vectors, the two countries were already collaborating in civil aviation. Since May 2019, Niamey International Airport has been managed by the Turkish company Summa, through its subsidiary DHIA Sarl. The management transfer agreement was signed on April 30, 2019, between the Nigerien Minister of Transport and Summa's CEO, Berkay Eim. The airport development, over a period of 30 years, falls to this real conglomerate, which has undertaken its modernization with a cost estimated at around 101 billion CFA francs. This project includes, inter alia: the construction of a new terminal, a taxiway, a freight terminal, the extension of aircraft parking lots and the redevelopment of the presidential pavilion.
Renewed commitments.
One year after the coup d'état that overthrew President Bazoum, Niger and Turkey have further strengthened their relations. Niger new Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine went to Ankara from January 31 to February 3, 2024, at the invitation of President Erdoğan. Their meeting focused on trade between the two countries which had reached $100 million in 2023. To a few observers, that meeting results from the audience given earlier by Erdoğan to the visiting former Niger president Youssoufou.
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July 2024, a large Turkish delegation visited Niamey to discuss future relations between the two states. Both parties announced that Turkish companies interested in the mining sector would benefit from all requested facilities. In addition, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, the delegation head, stated that the mission aim was to improve the defense industry and the intelligence collection, for the fight against terrorism. At the same time, Turkey acknowledged that it is looking for energy resources, especially uranium, to support its energy development plan. Niger's Minister of Oil and his Turkish counterpart, for Energy and Natural Resources, signed a declaration of intent for cooperation in the oil and natural gas fields. Both countries expressed their willingness to encourage Turkish companies to improve oil and natural gas deposits in Niger. The head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), İbrahim Kalin and Deputy Minister of Trade - Özgür Volkan Ağar and Chairman of the Defense Industries (SSB), Haluk Görgün, were parts of the delegation. Their discussions focused on trade between their countries, which have reached $100 million in 2023.
The thousand Syrian mercenaries deployed in Niger are in charge for defending all of these mounting Turkish interests. Since terrorists pose a danger to these interests, it is inevitable that the two entities will, one day or another, be the target of each other's.
