U.S. finalizes military exit from Niger amid growing tensions

The U.S. has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Niger, according to an official announcement on Monday. A small contingent of military personnel remains to secure the U.S. Embassy, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said.

Earlier this year, Niger’s military government terminated an agreement allowing U.S. forces to operate in the country. This culminated in a joint statement declaring that U.S. troops would fully withdraw by mid-September. While the U.S. transferred its last bases to Niger’s authorities in August, some American soldiers stayed on for administrative purposes to oversee the exit.

The U.S. withdrawal marks a significant change in counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, a region where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State operate. One such group, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), is active in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and seeks to expand further into neighboring countries.

Niger had been one of the few partners Western nations relied on to combat extremist groups in the Sahel. The U.S., France, and other European nations had stationed over 2,500 troops in the region, investing heavily in military training and support. However, Niger has shifted away from these Western alliances in recent months, turning to Russia for military assistance, including the arrival of Russian trainers to bolster the country’s air defense capabilities.