The United States has started discussing with Niger about bringing back the approximately 1,000 American soldiers from the country, a State Department official confirmed on Monday.
This happened after Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, and they both agreed to start planning the orderly and responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops from Niger, the official told The Hill.
The New York Times first reported on the upcoming withdrawal.
And CNN reported that the Defense Department would send a small group from the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command to take part in the discussions.
The presence of U.S. forces in Niger appeared to be ending since last month, when the military junta that governs the country canceled a military cooperation agreement with Washington. That agreement had given American forces a significant position to combat extremist terrorist groups, mainly an Islamist insurgency, in the region.
This is a major setback for U.S. efforts in the Sahel, where just six years ago Washington spent $110 million to establish a base in northern Niger for flying surveillance drones.
Niger’s demands to leave also followed a high-level U.S. delegation trip to the country to express several concerns about Niamey getting closer to Russia and Iran, according to the Pentagon. said at the time.
The presence of American military in Niger has also been uncertain since a military junta in late July placed the country’s president under house arrest and seized control of the government.
The State Department officially declared the takeover as a coup in October, reducing U.S. aid and halting security operations in the country.
Niger’s decision follows a recent trend by countries in the Sahel: seeking partnership with Russia instead of Western nations.
Last week, Russia provided military equipment and 100 instructors to arm Niger with the “latest generation of anti-aircraft defense systems,” Nigerien state broadcaster RTN said Thursday.
