The U.S. has officially handed over its last military base in Niger to local authorities, marking the end of American counterterrorism operations in the country. The handover of Airbase 201 in Agadez follows the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Airbase 101 in Niamey earlier this month. According to a joint statement by the U.S. Department of Defense and Niger's Ministry of Defense, American troops have until September 15 to leave Niger as per an agreement with Nigerien authorities.
Currently, there are approximately two dozen American soldiers remaining in Niger, primarily engaged in administrative tasks related to the withdrawal, stationed at the U.S. embassy. The decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Niger was initiated after the ruling junta in Niger terminated the agreement allowing American troops to operate in the country earlier this year.
Niger's shift away from Western partners towards Russia for security cooperation has been evident, with Russian military trainers arriving in Niger to bolster the country's air defenses in April. This move has significant implications for the U.S. as it forces troops to vacate a crucial base used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel region, where extremist groups like Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) are active across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with intentions to expand into Benin and Togo.
