Khalifa Haftar has released Nigerien opposition figure Mahamadou Saleh, days after his arrest in southern Libya, reportedly following pressure from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Italian news agency Nova cited Nigerien sources claiming that Saleh’s release was influenced by Rissa Ag Boula, a prominent Tuareg leader based in Paris, who holds significant sway in the Sahel region.
Saleh, who led an armed group in Libya’s Qatrun region for two years, is believed to possess crucial intelligence on opposition movements against Niger’s military junta, which has Russian backing.
According to Libyan sources, Macron urged Haftar during a meeting in Paris on February 26 not to extradite Saleh to the ruling military council in Niamey. The junta has faced international isolation since seizing power in a July 2023 coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Nova suggested that Saleh’s release could shift the regional power dynamic, potentially strengthening Niger’s opposition forces while adding further instability to the Niamey military leadership, which is under mounting international scrutiny.
Saleh’s detention took place amid clashes in Qatrun between forces aligned with Haftar’s son, Saddam Haftar, and those loyal to Hassan Al-Zadama. The dispute reportedly erupted after Al-Zadama’s forces refused to surrender their arms to military police, leading to violent confrontations, destruction of homes, and disruptions to key trade routes linking Libya, Niger, and Chad.
