The recent mobilization that occurred in Niger on Saturday, April 13 in Niamey, protesting the presence of American armed forces in the country, has sparked significant attention. Civil society organizations orchestrated a peaceful march advocating for the withdrawal of US troops, drawing thousands of individuals to the capital and echoing the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland (CNSP) which is reinforcing its ties with Russia.
Approximately 5,000 people congregated in the morning at Place Toumo in central Niamey. The procession predominantly comprised middle school, high school, and university students, as well as soldiers from barracks who arranged transportation to the demonstration site through buses.
Key members of the CNSP, including spokespersons and the special chief of staff of General and President Abdourahamane Tiani, alongside representatives of the transitional government, led the crowd in expressing disapproval of the 1,100 American soldiers stationed mainly at the Agadez air base. This base holds strategic importance for the United States in terms of intelligence and aerial surveillance in the region.
The march culminated in a gathering at Place de la concertation, the location of the National Assembly, following the recent arrival of Russian instructors in Niamey who provided military equipment such as anti-aircraft defense systems as part of a new cooperation agreement with Russia, as reported by Nigerien public television.
This demonstration also signals support for the CNSP’s decision to terminate the military cooperation agreement with the United States established a month ago. It underscores the shifting geopolitical alliances in the region and the new security and defense frameworks pursued by Nigerien authorities.
This mobilization underlines the profound transformations unfolding in international relations and their implications for Nigerien territory, emphasizing the critical strategic choices made by the country’s leadership to safeguard its sovereignty and security.
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These articles present a broader perspective on events in the region and offer insight into related developments.