American military troops repositioned in Niger

The United States announced that it has repositioned some troops and equipment in Niger and that it plans to pull a small number of non-essential personnel out. Prior to the coup, the U.S. military was training Niger’s forces on how to conduct counter-terrorism actions. The U.S. military also used drones against terrorist organizations working in the area.

From Reuters:

“The movement of U.S. assets has been coordinated with and approved by the appropriate authorities.”

The officials declined to give more details on the reason for the repositioning. It is generally easier to evacuate people from a single location, though there is no evidence that is imminent.

Over the past decade, U.S. troops have trained Niger’s forces in counter-terrorism and conducted drone missions against Islamic State and an al Qaeda affiliate in the region.

After the coup, the United States paused certain foreign assistance programs for Niger and military training has been on hold. Troops have largely been confined to the bases.

The administration of President Joe Biden has not formally labeled the military takeover in Niger a coup, a designation that would limit what security assistance Washington can provide the country.

“The leaders of this attempted coup are putting Niger’s security at risk, creating a potential vacuum that terrorist groups or other malign groups may exploit,” the official said.

The United States has been pressing for a diplomatic resolution of the crisis that erupted on July 26 when Niger military officers seized power, deposed President Mohamed Bazoum and placed him under house arrest.

The new U.S. ambassador to Niger, Kathleen FitzGibbon, only arrived in the capital, Niamey, last month.

The U.S. drone base known as Air Base 201 was built near Agadez in central Niger at a cost of more than $100 million. Since 2018, it has been used to target Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), in the Sahel.

It has grown in importance due to a lack of Western security partners in the region.

Military juntas have come to power through coups in Mali and Burkina Faso – both neighbors of Niger – in recent years. More than 2,000 French troops left Mali last year and a 13,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping force is due to shut down by the end of the year after the junta abruptly asked it to leave.

Reuters provides additional information here.

Category: International Affairs, Military issues