The United States has officially completed its withdrawal of military forces from Niger, meeting the deadline set by Niamey. The move, which was executed by September 15, 2024, follows the Nigerien junta's demand for a full exit after last year's coup.
According to a statement from AFRICOM (U.S. Africa Command) on Sunday, the pullout of 1,000 U.S. troops and associated assets, including those stationed at Air Base 101 in Niamey and Air Base 201 in Agadez, was carried out smoothly and without complications. The withdrawal also included the U.S. Africa Command Coordination Element, which exited before the deadline.
This development marks a significant shift in U.S. strategy in the Sahel region. Over the past decade, U.S. forces had been engaged in training Nigerien troops and supporting counterterrorism efforts against extremist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda. The withdrawal comes on the heels of a similar pullout by French forces, underscoring the broader strategic challenges facing Western military operations in West Africa.
The exit from Niger is seen as a setback for Washington, which had previously leveraged Niger's cooperation to establish key military bases in the region. As U.S. officials now seek alternative locations for maintaining their presence in West Africa, they face difficulties finding willing host nations. The loss of these bases threatens to undermine U.S. intelligence and operational capabilities against rapidly expanding militant extremist groups in the Sahel.
The situation highlights the strategic costs of the U.S. withdrawal and the ongoing complexities of military engagement in the region.
