US Troops Set to Withdraw from Niger as Junta tightens Military Alliances with Russia

Washington, D.C., USA — The United States has announced plans to withdraw its soldiers from Niger, marking an end to their involvement in the region's battle against Islamist insurgents.

This move follows Niger's shift towards closer security ties with Russia after a coup last year placed military leaders in control.

The withdrawal includes shutting down a significant US drone base near Agadez in the Sahara Desert, which has been central to the US and French efforts to monitor and combat jihadist activities across West Africa. Constructed at a cost of $100 million just six years ago, the base's closure represents a significant shift in US military strategy in the region.

The decision was finalized after discussions in Washington between US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Niger's Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine.

An American delegation is expected to travel to Niamey, the capital of Niger, within days to plan the orderly withdrawal of more than 1,000 American troops currently stationed there.

Niger's growing alignment with Russia is evident from the recent arrival of Russian military instructors and advanced air defense systems, as reported by state media.

This pivot away from Western alliances is part of a broader regional realignment, with Niger fostering stronger ties with other junta-led nations such as Burkina Faso and Mali.

Together, these countries have withdrawn from Ecowas, the West African regional body that opposed their military takeovers, and have exited the French-backed G5 Sahel force, criticizing it as ineffective and detrimental to African sovereignty.

In its place, they have formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a new defense pact aimed at addressing security challenges without Western intervention.

The US withdrawal is viewed as a setback for President Joe Biden's administration, which had previously resisted the move away from Niger.

The development signals a potentially significant change in the geopolitical landscape of West Africa, as local powers recalibrate their foreign and security policies amid shifting global influences.