On Sunday, the U.S. military completed the withdrawal of its personnel from Niger’s Air Base 101 in Niamey, ahead of an upcoming exit from the drone base near Agadez, Niger’s desert city. This move follows an order by Niger’s ruling junta in April, directing the removal of nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel from the country following a coup last year.
According to a joint statement from Niger’s defence ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense, the withdrawal from Air Base 101 proceeded smoothly and ahead of schedule, highlighting effective cooperation between Nigerian and American armed forces.
Next in focus is the closure of the $100 million drone base, Air Base 201, located near Agadez in central Niger. This base has been instrumental in providing intelligence on jihadist-linked groups in the region, noted U.S. Air Force Major General Kenneth Ekman.
The planned withdrawal from Air Base 201 is expected to be completed in August, as Niger’s junta has set a deadline of September 15 for the complete removal of U.S. troops from its territory.
In recent developments, Niger, along with its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, signed a confederation treaty on Saturday, signaling closer alignment amidst insurgency challenges in the central Sahel region. This alignment has led to the dissolution of defence agreements with U.S., European, and United Nations forces, marking a significant geopolitical shift in the region.
Additionally, in April, Russia deployed military trainers to Niger, indicating evolving dynamics in international military engagements in the Sahel.
These developments underscore ongoing geopolitical changes and security dynamics in Niger and the broader Sahel region, as countries navigate alliances and respond to security threats posed by jihadist groups.
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