WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) – The U.S. military has announced the completion of its withdrawal from Niger.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This decision comes after the West African nation’s ruling junta, which came to power following a coup last year, ordered the departure of nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel in April.
Before the coup, Niger was a crucial ally in the U.S. effort against insurgents in the Sahel region, which has been plagued by violence and instability, displacing millions and causing thousands of casualties.
The withdrawal process was executed in stages, beginning with the evacuation of U.S. forces and assets from Air Base 101 in Niamey on July 7, followed by the exit from Air Base 201 in Agadez on August 5.
On Monday, the U.S. military confirmed that the U.S. Africa Command Coordination Element, including a two-star general and staff, had also departed, marking the completion of the withdrawal by the September 15 deadline.
In a statement, the U.S. military acknowledged the contributions of its troops in training Nigerien forces and supporting counterterrorism efforts against groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda.
The U.S. Department of Defense and Niger’s Ministry of National Defense both recognized the sacrifices made by their forces during this partnership.
