The United States military has announced that it has completed its withdrawal from Niger, following a demand from the country’s new coup leaders.
Previously, the US had stationed over 1,000 troops in Niger as part of anti-insurgent operations across several Sahel nations, including a significant drone base near Agadez. However, following the 2023 coup in Niger, the new military regime terminated the military cooperation agreement with Washington.
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Niger was finalised as planned on 15 September 2024. The statement emphasised that the process was executed safely, orderly, and responsibly, without any complications.
In recent years, Niger played a crucial role in US and French strategies against insurgent groups in West Africa, particularly in light of the military takeovers in Mali and Burkina Faso, which shifted those countries’ stance towards Western military presence.
The coup on 26 July 2023, which ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, has resulted in the new regime aligning more closely with Russia, Turkey, and Iran, while pushing out French and US forces. The US withdrawal began in May 2024, shortly after Niger’s government declared the presence of US troops as illegal.
Niger has faced ongoing violence from armed groups linked to Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda, as well as Boko Haram, over the past decade.