The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Niger has been completed, an American official confirmed on Monday. While the main troop presence has been removed, a small number of military personnel remain assigned to guard the U.S. Embassy, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh. Earlier this year, Niger’s ruling junta terminated an agreement that had permitted U.S. troops to operate in the country, leading to a joint statement from both nations that the withdrawal would be finalized by mid-September.
The U.S. had already handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities last month. However, about two dozen American soldiers had stayed behind primarily for administrative tasks related to the withdrawal, Singh noted. The removal of these troops follows a coup last year in Niger and has significant implications for U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel region, which is plagued by groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State.
