Currently, a major decision in terms of withdrawal of US military forces has been announced in the small African nation of Niger. This initiative, scheduled to come to fruition this weekend, is the result of an agreement established with the country’s new military government. According to the US commander there, Air General Kenneth Ekman, all troops and equipment will be evacuated from a small Nigerien base this Sunday, as a prelude to the departure of fewer than 500 remaining troops from a crucial drone base. in August, in accordance with the September 15 deadline set by the said agreement.
According to Ekman, a number of small teams of 10 to 20 American soldiers, including special forces, have been redeployed to other countries in the West African region. However, the majority of forces will be transferred to Europe, at least initially. Niger’s ouster of U.S. troops following a coup last year will have far-reaching repercussions for the United States, forcing it to abandon a key drone base used for counterterrorism operations in the Sahel. , a vast region south of the Sahara Desert where groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State operate.
The vacancy of this base will leave a void in terms of the fight against terrorism, and US authorities are currently trying to fill it as security threats from extremist groups in the Sahel strengthen.
The withdrawal of US troops is a race against time, with the Pentagon needing to act quickly to meet a July 26 deadline by which two-thirds of US troops and equipment must have left the country. This constraint largely explains why U.S. Africa Command will complete its withdrawal of all 1,000 troops from Niger early.
Concerns are growing over terrorist groups such as Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and seeking to expand operations in Benin and Togo. Faced with these growing threats, the United States is seeking partnerships with other countries in the region, of which Ivory Coast and Ghana could be concrete examples.
General Ekman highlighted Niger’s previous importance as a strategic operational base, now challenging the US military to conduct operations using field posts. Nevertheless, other neighboring West African nations, aware of the threats weighing on the Sahel, seek to collaborate with American forces, even if they are not all ready to welcome more US troops on their soil, as the example of Togo.
Despite this planned withdrawal of American troops, General Ekman affirmed that the United States will not destroy its equipment or infrastructure by leaving Niger, stressing the importance of leaving things in an optimized state to preserve future options for cooperation. in terms of security.
The exit of US troops from Niger follows a series of tumultuous political events in the country, marked by a coup last year and a subsequent military takeover. The development prompted Niger’s government to ask foreign forces, including French and American troops, to leave the territory, turning to the Russian mercenary group Wagner for security assistance.
In a context where the Sahel region remains a source of tension and instability, the current transition regarding the American presence in Niger raises reflections on the challenges to be met in terms of regional security and the need for cooperation increased internationality to counter terrorist threats.
This redeployment of American forces in West Africa is of strategic importance and raises complex issues in terms of defense and the fight against terrorism in the region. The coming period will be crucial for the evolution of security relations between the United States and the countries of the region, as well as for the dynamics of the fight against terrorism in the Sahel.