This week, a United States delegation will present Niger’s government with a detailed plan of how the US intends to withdraw its troops from the country. This move comes after months of negotiations between the U.S. government and Niger’s junta failed to reach a resolution that would see at least some U.S. troops remain behind. The West African country was an important ally in U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel region. Among other things, it hosts two American bases, from which the U.S. has launched drone operations for about a decade, and about 1,000 personnel that includes U.S. military members, civilians, and contractors. Analysts suggest that, given these factors, Niger’s insistence that the U.S. withdraws all troops is a significant blow to the Biden administration, especially since it has forced the U.S. to look to other countries for potential partnership in its fight against Islamic terrorism.
SOURCE: WASHINGTON POST