In April, Niger’s ruling junta ordered the U.S. to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country following a coup last year in the West African nation.
“Thanks to effective cooperation and communication between the Nigerian and American armed forces, this operation was completed ahead of schedule and without any complications,” Niger’s defence ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense said in a joint statement.
As of last year, the over 1,000 U.S. troops stationed in Niger operated from two bases, including Air Base 201 near Agadez in central Niger, which served as a drone base.
Since 2018, the base has been instrumental in targeting Islamic State militants and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, an al Qaeda affiliate, in the Sahel region
According to the U.S. Air Force Major General Kenneth Ekman, the pullout from that base will likely take place in August. Niger’s ruling junta has given the U.S. until September 15 to remove troops from its territory, Reuters reported.
On Saturday, Niger and its military-led neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso, signed a confederation treaty, signaling an ever-closer alignment between the countries in the insurgency-torn central Sahel.
They have also torn up defense agreements with U.S., European, and United Nations forces.
Source link : https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/end-of-an-era-us-troops-exit-nigers-air-base-101/4l4vh7y
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Publish date : 2024-07-08 14:25:35
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