US to Withdraw Most Troops from Niger and Chad

The majority of American troops stationed in Niger and Chad are set to leave these countries, as reported by the Associated Press (AP) on Thursday, citing two anonymous U.S. officials.

The U.S. is pulling out most of its troops from Chad and Niger while working to update the key agreements governing the role of U.S. forces and counterterrorism operations there, the officials said. According to one source, a significant portion of the 1,000-strong military contingent in Niger will exit the country. Another source added that most of the 100 U.S. military personnel in Chad will be relocated.

Previously, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Christopher Grady, stated in an interview with AP that no final decision has been made regarding a full withdrawal of U.S. forces from Niger and Chad. Grady explained that in recent days, the government of neighboring Chad has also questioned the bilateral security agreement that defines the conditions of U.S. military presence there.

The Admiral clarified that Chadian authorities have requested the American forces to leave the country, and now the Pentagon, U.S. Africa Command, and the State Department are working with the Chadian government to ensure that Americans remain.

AP reminds that the United States has a major airbase located in Agadez, northeast of the Nigerien capital Niamey, approximately 920 kilometers away. The base is utilized for reconnaissance flights involving drones and piloted aircraft, among other purposes. The U.S. has also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Nigerien forces since 2013.

In mid-March, Niger announced that the 2012 military cooperation agreement was 'imposed' by Washington and declared it null and void. On Wednesday, the State Department announced that U.S. and Nigerien officials would meet on Thursday to begin discussions on the terms of the withdrawal of American troops from the African nation.

Previously, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced a military agreement and agreed to establish joint forces to combat jihadists. The authorities of these countries have violated their defense cooperation agreements with France and forced French military personnel to leave their territories.