Alarme Phone Sahara welcomes the Nigerien government's response to Algeria over the mass pushbacks in the desert towards Niger.
The Algerian ambassador to Niger, SEM Bekhedda Mehdi, was summoned on 3 April to appear before the Deputy Secretary General of the Niger Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oumar Ibrahim Sidi, to give answers concerning the deportation of sub-Saharan migrants from Algeria to Niger. According to various reports, the transitional government of Niger is outraged at the "violent nature" of these forced deportations "carried out without respect for the rules, thus endangering the physical integrity and the safety of the property of Niger nationals in Algeria".
On 4 April, IOM representative Nicoletta Giordano was also summoned to discuss these operations, bearing in mind that a large proportion of those deported are not citizens of Niger, but of other, particularly sub-Saharan, countries, for whom the IOM is responsible for organising their so-called “voluntary return“ to their country of origin.
The summonses of the Algerian ambassador and the IOM representative are taking place at a time when mass deportation operations are intensifying, although they have been very frequent for several years: According to the observations of Alarme Phone Sahara whistleblowers, an estimated number of at least 9900 people forcibly deported from Algeria arrived at the village of Assamaka on the Niger-Algeria border from the beginning of 2024 until 26 April 2024. These deportation convoys always take place in atrocious and violent conditions, which have already caused several cases of injury, trauma and death until April 2024.
Arrival of official deportation convoy, Assamaka 02.2024 // Registration at Assamaka police station after deportation, Assamaka 04.2024
Alarme Phone Sahara, which organises day-to-day assistance for deportees through its team of whistleblowers in Assamaka, welcomes the Niger government's initiative for taking a step towards tackling the all-important issue of these mass deportations, which have been going on for years and have continued to take on increasingly worrying proportions.
Violent deportations, suffering of deportees, danger to life and cases of death
According to the testimonies collected and the observations by the whistleblowers of Alarme Phone Sahara, deportations from Algeria to Niger always take place in violent and inhuman conditions.
Initially, there are always roundups in various localities and migrant hunts in Algerian towns. Between January and April 2024, migrants living in Oran, on Algeria's Mediterranean coast, repeatedly reported massive raids by security forces in migrants' neighbourhoods and workplaces, often on building sites. Images have been shared showing desperate people seeking protection from the security forces’ actions on site cranes or on the roofs of buildings under construction.
Scenes of police chasing migrant persons. People climbing on cranes to flee from the police.
Police raiding a migrant neighbourhood. Oran, Algeria, January 2024.
Shared by migrants living in Oran.
Victims of mass deportations also include people who end up in Algeria following deportation from Tunisia, Morocco and Libya.
Numerous testimonies from people who have been deported show a pattern of systematic violations of basic human rights by the Algerian police and gendarmerie: people are beaten and ill-treated in detention and during deportation convoys, in addition to having their material possessions and financial resources confiscated. Their travel documents are also confiscated and damaged.
During transport, people are first crammed into buses and then taken to Tamanrasset, where they are loaded onto lorries and driven for days across the desert in the heat of the day and cold of the night.
People of Niger nationality are normally taken to the border village of Assamaka and handed over to the Niger authorities responsible for guarding the territory, while other nationalities are unloaded in the desert at Point Zero, 15 kilometres from Assamaka, from where they have to make their way to the village on foot.
Many of these people arrive in Assamaka sick, injured and traumatised. The Alarme Phone Sahara team in Assamaka regularly drives to Point Zero with its tricycles to rescue people who are too weak, sick or injured to walk and transport them to Assamaka.
Assistance of Alarme Phone Sahara's tricycle for people after deportation, Assamaka, january and April 2024
Unfortunately, this situation has led to a number of deaths: on 6 April 2024, the Alarme Phone Sahara team found the bodies of 4 migrants who had died during or after their deportation to Assamaka.
Grave of a migrant found dead in Assamaka after deportation on 6th of April 2024
In Assamaka, living conditions for the deportees remain extremely precarious. Many people arrive empty-handed, stripped of their money and possessions.
Since the humanitarian crisis at the beginning of 2023, makeshift shelters and supplies have been set up for people who are not being cared for by IOM, but to date, many of the people deported to Assamaka lack basic necessities such as food.
The local infrastructure continues to be overwhelmed by the high frequency of deportation convoys from Algeria.
The Alarme Phone Sahara team in Assamaka is doing its best, within its available capacity, to contribute to practical support for the deportees. Alarme Phone Sahara's tricycle is in constant use to transport sick and injured people to the dispensary run by Doctors without Borders and to assist the estimated 3081 refugees from Mali housed in a camp outside the village.
Alarme Phone Sahara's call :
Despite the efforts of the humanitarian structures in Assamaka, it remains clear that :
The people of Niger are already facing a number of challenges : on the one hand, difficult security conditions in the country. On top of this, there are the socio-economic consequences imposed by several months of sanctions, from which the country is trying to extricate itself. Also the fact that there are already a good number of people on the move who are currently staying in Niger, as well as thousands of migrants stranded in Niger after being deported.
Added to this extremely high temperatures during the heatwave, aggravated by the climate crisis, making life difficult to bear, particularly in the desert regions in the north of the country, and the current meningitis epidemic.
Under such conditions, it is particularly irresponsible to deport thousands more people to Niger, where it is foreseeable that they will be stranded in an extremely precarious situation of distress.
The only alternative to this situation is a complete halt to the mass deportation operations from Algeria to Niger, in order to put an end to the violations of the physical integrity, safety and lives of Nigerien and sub-Saharan nationals in Algeria!
Plea by a migrant deported to Assamaka shared on social media, January 2024:
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Appendix: Numbers of people deported from Algeria to Assamaka from 1 January to 6 April 2024:
08.01.2024: Official deportation convoy
309 people deported, including 10 under-age girls, 18 under-age boys and 278 adult men. Of these, 306 were from Niger, two from Chad and one from Djibouti.
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08.01.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
204 people, including 3 underage girls, 10 underage boys, 4 adult women and 187 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
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10.01.2024: Official deportation convoy
42 Nigerien men deported.
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10.01.2024: Unofficial convoy of expulsions
91 people, including 2 minor girls, 4 minor boys, 3 adult women and 82 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 31 Nigerian nationals, 30 from Mali, 18 from Guinea Conakry, 11 from Ivory Coast and one person from Cameroon.
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13.01.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
389 people, including 15 under-age girls, 7 under-age boys, 14 adult women and 353 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 30 from Nigeria, 77 from Burkina Faso, 25 from Gambia, 17 from Senegal, 92 from Mali, 80 from Guinea Conakry, 16 from Côte d'Ivoire, 9 from Cameroon, 2 from Niger, 3 from Sierra Leone and one person from Liberia.
In addition, 29 people from Bangladesh, 4 from Yemen, one from Somalia, one from Pakistan, one from Sudan and one from Chad were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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14.01.2024: Official deportation convoy
289 people deported, including 15 underage girls, 9 underage boys, 3 adult women and 262 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 528 announced by the Algerian authorities.
The deportees included 273 nationals of Niger, 13 from Nigeria, one from Gambia and one from Mali.
In addition, one Sudanese national was sent back directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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16.01.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
396 people, including 4 underage girls, 15 underage boys, 17 adult women and 360 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 22 from Nigeria, 6 from Burkina Faso, 8 from Gambia, 21 from Senegal, 126 from Mali, 141 from Guinea Conakry, 42 from Côte d'Ivoire, 2 from Cameroon, 4 from Niger, 4 from Benin, 7 from Ghana, 2 from Guinea Bissau and one person from Sierra Leone.
In addition, 4 from Sudan, 4 from Somalia, one from Chad and one from Congo were sent directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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17.01.2024: Official deportation convoy
246 people deported, including 19 underage girls, 34 underage boys, 33 adult women and 160 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 460 announced by the Algerian authorities.
The deportees included 222 nationals of Niger. In addition, 23 people from Nigeria and one from Cameroon were cared for by COOPI in Assamaka.
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19.01.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
228 people deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
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20.01.2024: Official eviction convoy
268 people deported.
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28.01.2024: Unofficial eviction convoy
211 people, including 19 minor boys and 192 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 14 from Nigeria, 20 from Burkina Faso, 2 from Gambia, 7 from Senegal, 50 from Mali, 74 from Guinea Conakry, 8 from Côte d'Ivoire, 9 from Cameroon, 13 from Benin, 4 from Sierra Leone and one person from Togo.
In addition, 9 people from Chad were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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29.01.2024: Official deportation convoy
652 people deported in 13 lorries, including 66 under-age girls, 94 under-age boys, 49 adult women and 443 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 953 people and 22 lorries announced by the Algerian authorities.
Among the deportees were 651 nationals of Niger. There was also a man from Nigeria taken in by COOPI in Assamaka.
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02.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
330 people, including 9 underage girls, 19 adult women, 10 underage boys and 292 adult men dropped off at Point Zéro and forced to walk to Assamaka.
Of these, 19 were from Nigeria, 8 from Burkina Faso, 48 from Gambia, 2 from Senegal, 53 from Mali, 127 from Guinea Conakry, 32 from Côte d'Ivoire, 12 from Cameroon, 19 from Sierra Leone, 6 from Liberia, one from Benin and one from Togo.
In addition, 2 people from Somalia were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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02.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
240 Nigeriens deported, including 9 underage girls, 19 adult women, 5 underage boys and 207 adult men.
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05.02.2024: Unofficial eviction convoy
297 people, including 9 underage girls, 18 adult women, 4 underage boys and 266 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
Of these, 31 were from Nigeria, 48 from Niger, 5 from Burkina Faso, 11 from Gambia, 3 from Senegal, 54 from Mali, 110 from Guinea Conakry, 48 from Côte d'Ivoire, 13 from Cameroon, 19 from Sierra Leone, 2 from Liberia and 4 from Benin.
In addition, 3 people from Sudan were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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05.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
431 Nigeriens deported, including one minor girl, one adult woman and 429 adult men.
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10.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
178 people, including 3 underage girls, 6 adult women, 4 underage boys and 165 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 4 from Nigeria, 14 from Burkina Faso, 6 from Gambia, 6 from Senegal, 45 from Mali, 53 from Guinea Conakry, 28 from Côte d'Ivoire, 5 from Cameroon, 3 from Sierra Leone and 12 from Benin.
In addition, 2 people from the Central African Republic were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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10.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
336 Nigeriens deported, including 22 underage girls, 23 underage boys, 10 adult women and 281 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 347 announced by the Algerian authorities.
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11.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
182 people, including 4 underage girls, 19 adult women, one underage boy and 158 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 5 Nigerian nationals, 2 from Burkina Faso, 8 from Gambia, 10 from Senegal, 69 from Mali, 56 from Guinea Conakry, 10 from Côte d'Ivoire, 4 from Cameroon, 17 from Togo and one from Ghana.
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12.02.2024: Official eviction convoy
272 people deported, including 16 underage girls, 13 underage boys, 20 adult women and 223 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 434 announced by the Algerian authorities.
Among the deportees were 271 nationals of Niger. Plus one man from Nigeria.
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16.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
200 people, including 6 adult women, two under-age boys and 192 adult men dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
Among them 27 from Nigeria, 27 from Burkina Faso, 6 from Senegal, 57 from Mali, 45 from Guinea Conakry, 17 from Benin, 10 from Côte d'Ivoire, 6 from Cameroon, two from Liberia, two from Sierra Leone and one from Congo (DRC).
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18.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
392 Nigeriens deported, including 11 underage girls, 17 underage boys, 12 adult women and 352 adult men. The number of deportees arriving is contrary to the figure of 603 announced by the Algerian authorities.
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24.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
353 people, including 7 minor girls, 22 adult women, 6 minor boys and 318 adult men dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
Of these, 59 were from Nigeria, 32 from Burkina Faso, 3 from Gambia, 15 from Senegal, 59 from Mali, 108 from Guinea Conakry, 43 from Côte d'Ivoire, 9 from Cameroon, 5 from Sierra Leone, two from Ghana, two from Liberia and one from Niger.
In addition, 2 people from Chad and one from Sudan were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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25.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
113 people, including 13 under-age girls, 15 adult women, two under-age boys and 83 adult men dropped off at Point Zéro and forced to walk to Assamaka.
Of these, 31 were from Nigeria, 9 from Benin, 4 from Gambia, 5 from Senegal, 25 from Mali, 33 from Guinea Conakry, two from Côte d'Ivoire and two from Cameroon.
In addition, 2 people from Chad were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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25.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
505 people deported, including 29 under-age girls, 8 under-age boys, 38 adult women and 430 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 629 announced by the Algerian authorities.
Of these, 381 were from Niger, 35 from Nigeria, 35 from Guinea Conakry, 25 from Mali, 12 from Benin, 5 from Gambia, 5 from Senegal, two from Cameroon and two from Côte d'Ivoire.
In addition, 3 people from Chad were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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28.02.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
206 people, including one under-age girl, two adult women, two under-age boys and 201 adult men dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 3 from Benin, 8 from Gambia, 7 from Senegal, 83 from Mali, 56 from Guinea Conakry, 24 from Côte d'Ivoire, 6 from Cameroon, 7 from Burkina Faso, 5 from Sierra Leone, one from Liberia and one from Nigeria.
In addition, 3 people from Chad were returned directly from Niger to the Algerian border post.
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28.02.2024: Official deportation convoy
277 Nigeriens deported, including 29 under-age girls, 9 under-age boys, 37 adult women and 202 adult men. The number of deportees who arrived is contrary to the figure of 489 announced by the Algerian authorities.
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04.03.2024: Official expulsion convoy
242 Nigeriens deported, including 4 underage girls, 7 underage boys, 6 adult women and 225 adult men.
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04.03.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
50 people, including one woman and 49 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included two nationals of Gambia, two from Senegal, 10 from Mali, 21 from Guinea Conakry, 5 from Côte d'Ivoire, 7 from Nigeria, one from Burkina Faso, one from Cameroon and one from Benin.
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09.03.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
97 people, including one boy and 96 adult men deported and dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
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11.03.2024: Official eviction convoy
350 Nigeriens deported, including 32 under-age girls, 33 under-age boys, 29 adult women and 256 adult men.
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11.03.2024: Unofficial eviction convoy
162 people dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
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05.04.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
285 people, including 10 women, two under-age girls, 3 boys and 270 adult men dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
They included 6 from Gambia, 7 from Senegal, 73 from Mali, 131 from Guinea Conakry, 5 from Côte d'Ivoire, 11 from Niger, 5 from Burkina Faso, 29 from Cameroon, 4 from Nigeria, 5 from Ghana, 4 from Ethiopia, two from Eritrea, two from Chad and one from Togo.
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06.04.2024: Official deportation convoy
The numbers of people deported this day have not been shared with the Alarme Phone Sahara team.
It was in early April 2024 that 4 people who died during or just after the eviction were found by the Phone Sahara Alarm team in Assamaka.
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21.04.2024: Unofficial deportation convoy
262 people dropped off at Point Zero and forced to walk to Assamaka.
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26.04.2024: Official deportation convoy
647 Nigeriens deported, including 79 under-age girls, 76 under-age boys, 41 adult women and 451 adult men.
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Total number of people evicted from 1 January to 26 April 2024 :
9732 people plus an unspecified number from the official eviction convoy of 6 April. It is estimated that at least 9900 people were deported from Algeria at the Niger border at Assamaka during this period.