Algeria’s Mass Deportation Sparks Concerns
Algerian authorities expelled more than 1,800 migrants, leaving them at the border with Niger. This record expulsion took place earlier this month, according to Alarmphone Sahara, a migrant rights group based in Niger. The migrants were transported to a desolate desert area known as “Point Zero” after being detained in various Algerian cities.
Abdou Aziz Chehou, the national coordinator of Alarmphone Sahara, reported that 1,845 migrants without legal residency in Algeria arrived in Assamaka, a border town in Niger, following the expulsion on April 19. This pushed the total number of expelled migrants arriving in Assamaka this month to over 4,000. Chehou noted that this figure excludes those potentially attempting to return northward into Algeria.
The ongoing deportations happen against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Algeria and its southern neighbours, all now under military regimes that have overthrown previously elected governments allied with Algiers. These tensions led Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to recall their ambassadors from Algeria earlier this month due to disputes over border security.
For many migrants escaping conditions of poverty, conflict, or climate change, Algeria is a vital transit point on their journey to Europe. However, increased maritime patrols have left many migrants stranded in nations with questionable human rights records and limited humanitarian support. Alarmphone Sahara documented over 30,000 migrant expulsions from Algeria in 2024.
Reports of similar pushbacks have surfaced in neighbouring countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya. There has been no official comment from Algerian or Nigerien authorities about the latest expulsions, which are seldom covered by the Algerian press. In previous instances, Nigerien officials have suggested that such expulsions may breach a 2014 agreement that permits only the deportation of Nigerien citizens across the border.
Source: AfricaNews