The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Monday that the American military has fully withdrawn its forces from its last base in Niger, complying with the demands of the country’s transitional leadership.
In a joint statement with Niger’s Ministry of Defense, the Pentagon confirmed that “the withdrawal of U.S. forces and equipment from Air Base 201 in Agadez has been completed,” as reported by the French News Agency.
The transitional council of Niger had requested the withdrawal of approximately 1,000 U.S. troops stationed in the country.
The agreement between Niger’s Defense Ministry and the Pentagon was reached after five days of meetings. It ensured the safety of U.S. forces during their departure and outlined procedures to facilitate the entry and exit of American personnel during the withdrawal process.
Niger’s decision to request the withdrawal of U.S. forces followed a meeting in Niamey in mid-March. During this meeting, senior U.S. officials expressed concerns about several issues, including the anticipated arrival of Russian forces and reports of Iran’s attempts to acquire raw materials from Niger, including uranium.
