Pentagon orders withdrawal of all US combat troops from Niger

The US military has ordered its troops to pull out from Niger following the cancellation of a military agreement by the African country’s new leaders.

Niger’s new leaders demanded the withdrawal of American and French troops after they ousted president Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.

They announced on March 17 that Niger had canceled a 2012 military cooperation agreement with the US, calling for an end to the US military’s “illegal” presence in the country.

The Pentagon this week formally ordered all 1,000 US combat troops to withdraw from Niger, Politico reported on Friday.

The order comes as newly-arrived Russian forces have been living at the same airbase as American troops in the capital of Niamey, Base 101, for weeks.

According to a US official, troops will be relocated to another base within the region from which they can still carry out their military operations.