U.S. Troops Ordered Out of Niger to Complete Withdrawal by Mid-September

The Pentagon and Nigerien defense officials have announced that U.S. troops will complete their withdrawal from Niger by the middle of September, following the West African country’s decision to kick out American forces. The timeline was established after four days of talks in Niamey, the capital city.

Niger’s move to expel U.S. troops has dealt a blow to American military operations in the Sahel region, where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group are active. The decision came after the country’s democratically elected president was ousted by mutinous soldiers last July, leading to a military takeover.

Following the military takeover, the ruling junta asked French forces to leave and sought security assistance from the Russian mercenary group Wagner. In response to the coup, the U.S. officially designated the takeover as such in October, triggering restrictions on military support and aid to Niger.

Currently, about 1,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Niger, primarily at an airbase near Agadez. The Agadez base has been crucial to U.S. counterterrorism operations in the Sahel, with the U.S. investing millions of dollars in its development and providing extensive training to Niger’s military since 2013.

As part of the withdrawal plan, most of the approximately 100 U.S. forces deployed in neighboring Chad will also be relocated. Talks are expected to resume next month to discuss revising an agreement that allows U.S. troops to be based in Chad.

The decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Niger marks a significant shift in the country’s military cooperation with the United States and highlights the challenges faced in the region due to political instability and the presence of extremist groups.