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All US military personnel have been ordered to leave Niger, media reports
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.[Regnum] The Pentagon has ordered the full withdrawal of American troops from Niger over the next few months, Politico newspaper writes on May 10. “The Department of Defense has ordered approximately 1,000 US troops in Niger to leave the country over the next few months,” a US official told the publication. As Regnum reported, in March the Niger authorities terminated the military agreement with the United States, which allowed American military personnel to remain in the country. Niger's Interior Minister Mohamed Toumba said the country is interested in the Russian military training its troops. On May 3, Reuters, citing a Pentagon representative, reported that Russian military personnel entered the air base in Niamey. On the same day, a source in the security forces of the African state clarified that the US military had declared increased combat readiness due to the deployment of Russian troops in Niger. On May 8, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said at a hearing in the Appropriations Committee of the US Senate that Washington would have to withdraw all its troops from Niger. The United States tried to the last to maintain a military presence in Niger, and the authorities in Niamey had to begin deploying the Russian contingent before the Pentagon removed its personnel. At the same time, with the departure of the Americans, it is likely that Niger’s military cooperation with Russia will further deepen. Ivan Loshkarev, a researcher at the Center for the Study of Political Elites at the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO, shared this opinion with a Regnum correspondent. Related: Niger : 2024-05-09 Pentagon chief Austin says US will withdraw troops from Niger Niger : 2024-05-07 Tele Sahel: Russia delivered military equipment and humanitarian aid to Niger Niger : 2024-05-05 Doing the Jobs Americans Won't - Wagner Group Pursuing Joseph Kony Posted by: badanov 2024-05-11 |
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