page_title: Madama
section_title: Military use today
hierarchical_section_title: Madama / Military use today
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Fort de Madama - Niger, discussions entre paras du 3e RPIMA et militaires du 24e bataillon interarmes
context_page_description: Madama is a border settlement on the northeast frontier of Niger. Little more than an army post, the settlement serves as a frontier station controlling travel between Niger and Libya. It is also the site of a former French colonial fort, built in 1931.
  The fort is now surrounded by barbed wire and a field of landmines.
context_section_description: The army of Niger maintains a garrison of a hundred soldiers, depending on the 24th Interarmes Battalion from Dirkou.
  On October 23, 2014, the French government announced plans to base helicopters and 50 French troops here, under the Operation Barkhane. The French Army built a forward operating base. The French military is about 200 to 250 soldiers on January 1, 2015.
  The operational base of Madama served as a command post for a military operation zone control for the French, Niger and Chad armies from 20 to 27 December 2014.
caption: French paratroopers (3rd RPIMa) and Nigerian soldiers talk over the old fort Madama, November 2014.
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