The United States is currently strategizing the withdrawal of its troops from Niger, as stated by a representative from the State Department. The military government of Niger has made it clear that the presence of around 1,000 American troops stationed in the country is not welcomed.
During a meeting in Washington, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine agreed to start discussions in Niamey to plan the orderly and responsible withdrawal of US troops from Niger. This information was shared through an official statement to various US news outlets.
A delegation from the United States will be traveling to the capital of Niger in the upcoming days to coordinate the withdrawal process. The majority of American troops in Niger are based at Niger Air Base 201, a facility that has been inactive since the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum’s government by military officers last year.
Last weekend in Niamey, government officials and thousands of demonstrators gathered at a protest, demanding the withdrawal of US forces from the country. The Synergy of Nigerien Civil Society Organizations, the group behind the protests, claimed that a significant number of civilians and Nigerien soldiers had lost their lives due to the presence of a “mercantile terrorism force” over the past decade.
In light of the diminishing support from the US and France, Niger has sought security assistance from Russia. The country’s transitional leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani, engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month to explore possibilities for anti-terrorism collaboration in the Sahel region. According to local media reports, Russian military instructors arrived in Niamey with a cargo of equipment several weeks later.
The Pentagon expressed concerns last month regarding Niger’s deepening ties with Russia and an alleged uranium deal between Niger and Iran. However, Niger is not the only Sahel state that has strengthened its relations with Moscow in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which experienced the overthrow of their Western-backed governments in 2021 and 2022 respectively, have expelled French forces and turned to Russia for new security and trade agreements.
