U.S. troops formally withdrew from Niger’s main airbase on Monday, the first of two bases from which U.S. troops will leave after Niamey fell to a military coup in 2023 and Nigerien authorities ordered the U.S. to withdraw.
US troops left 101 Air Base near the capital, Niamey, after a ceremony to formally announce the withdrawal of troops, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said.
The final aircraft to depart was an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport, which departed on Monday.
U.S. forces are scheduled to withdraw from the 201st Air Base in Agadez in September.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman, Africa Command’s director of strategy, engagement and programs, said he was grateful for the orderly and safe withdrawal of American forces.
“Today, we look back positively on the past 15 years of security cooperation and shared sacrifices made by U.S. and Nigerien militaries.” Ekman said in a statement.
Niger was seized by a military junta in July 2023, part of a series of coups in the Sahel in recent years. Niamey has since strengthened its close ties with Russia.
The transition process for the withdrawal from 101st Air Base began on May 19, when the United States and Niger signed documents setting out the terms of the withdrawal.
The US withdrawal from Niger raises concerns about a resurgence of extremist terrorist activity, including from groups linked to ISIS. US troops are deployed across Africa and the Middle East to fight ISIS and conduct counterterrorism operations.
Ekman said the U.S. needs to adjust its “presence and activities in West Africa to pursue mutual security objectives.”
“U.S. Africa Command remains focused on building partner capacity and strengthening relationships and trust,” he said. “We are committed to listening to West African forces to best support partner-led, U.S.-supported operations to counter violent extremism and improve security and stability.”
