United States says it will pull all its troops out of Niger within the next four months or so after the West African country’s military government ordered them to leave.
Niger last month told Washington to withdraw its military personnel, which number close to 1,000, branding their presence “illegal”.
The military government, which took power last year, has already overseen the withdrawal of troops from former colonial power and traditional security ally France as it has strengthened ties with Russia.
The US withdrawal from Niger has commenced, as confirmed by a joint statement from the Pentagon and Nigerien defense officials on Sunday.
All troops are scheduled to leave the country by September 15, “at the latest.”
Niger had been a crucial ally of the West until a coup occurred last year, actively participating in Washington’s efforts against armed groups in the Sahel region.
Following a five-day meeting, a new agreement was reached between Niger’s defense ministry and the US Department of Defense.
This agreement ensures the protection of US troops until their departure, as stated in the joint statement.
“The withdrawal of American forces from Niger in no way affects the pursuit of relations between the United States and Niger in the area of development.
Also, Niger and the United States are committed to an ongoing diplomatic dialogue to define the future of their bilateral relations,” the statement added.
According to senior military officials speaking to Reuters and The Associated Press news agencies, US troops and certain equipment have already commenced their departure from the country.
The intention is to evacuate all lethal, hazardous, or classified equipment before the final departure of US troops.
However, officials noted that items deemed too costly to transport could potentially be left for use by the Nigerien military instead.
Acknowledging Niger’s significant role as a cornerstone in US counterterrorism efforts over the past decade, officials admitted to ongoing considerations regarding how to address the resulting gap.