The United States is set to complete its military withdrawal from Niger by September 15, following an agreement reached between the US Defense Department and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense. The decision comes after a deepening divide between the US and Niger's ruling military junta, which led to the withdrawal of American forces from the African nation.
According to reports, about 1,000 US troops are currently in Niger, along with their equipment including MQ-9 Reaper drones. The exact timeline for their departure is still being worked out, but it is expected that most will leave by mid-September.
The US delegation led by Chris Meier, the assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, met with Niger's ruling military junta last week to try to reach an agreement on the withdrawal. The negotiations were focused on ensuring the safe departure of US forces and securing flight clearances for military flights.
The US has been operating in Niger since 2013, investing millions of dollars in training its military and establishing a major counterterrorism base near Agadez. However, tensions between the two countries have escalated following last July's coup, which led to the ouster of Niger's democratically elected president.
In recent months, Niger has asked French forces to leave and sought security assistance from Russia instead. The US responded by officially designating the military takeover as a coup, triggering laws restricting military support and aid.
The withdrawal of US troops from Niger is expected to have significant implications for counterterrorism operations in the Sahel region, where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate. The US will likely relocate some forces to neighboring Chad, but talks are expected to resume next month about revising an agreement that allows US troops to be based there.
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