France has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Niger, following a request from the country’s new junta, marking the end of years of military support on the ground. The withdrawal was in response to the junta’s decision to sever ties with Paris after the coup in July. The last French military aircraft and troops left Niger by the December 22 deadline set by the junta.
The departure of French troops has raised concerns among analysts about a potential gap in the fight against jihadi violence across the Sahel region of Africa. France had been actively involved in training and supporting the local military in Niger, which was seen as a crucial Western partner in the fight against jihadi groups in the region.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that while France would continue to be involved in the Sahel, there would be a reconfiguration of its presence. He stated that French armies would be less permanently stationed and less exposed, with a focus on protecting national interests.
The withdrawal of French troops from Niger comes at a time when security concerns are rising in the region. The Sahel, a vast expanse south of the Sahara Desert, has been a hotspot for violent extremism. The departure of foreign military missions is already impacting security in Niger, leading to a surge in the number of attacks.
The junta in Niger, which took power after ousting the democratically elected president, has formed a security alliance with military governments in Mali and Burkina Faso to coordinate counterterrorism operations across the Sahel. However, concerns remain about the potential exploitation of the security vacuum created by the departure of French troops, allowing extremist organizations to expand their operations in the region.
