US Completes Withdrawal from Niger Air Base

The United States military has completed its withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Niger, a key hub for intelligence operations against Islamist militants, following a junta's order for nearly 1,000 personnel to leave after a coup last year. The withdrawal, which began on May 19, was finalized on August 5, ahead of the September 15 deadline set by Niger's government. Air Base 201, built at a cost of $100 million, had been operational since 2019 and was crucial for US counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel. The US had previously trained Nigerien forces and supported their military operations against groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. The relationship between the US and Niger has soured since the military coup, leading to the revocation of the military accord that allowed US troops to operate in the country. The US is now exploring new military cooperation agreements with neighboring countries such as Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.