US military says withdrawal from Niger is complete

The United States military announced Monday that it had completed its withdrawal from Niger, after coup leaders in the African country demanded that its troops depart.

The United States had more than 1,000 troops in Niger as part of anti-jihadist missions in several Sahel nations of West Africa, including a major drone base near Agadez, but Niger's military leaders scrapped a military cooperation deal with Washington after seizing power in a 2023 coup.

The United States and Niger "announce that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Niger is complete," US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a statement.

"The safe, orderly, and responsible withdrawal was completed without complications, by the mutually decided date of September 15, 2024," AFRICOM said.

Niger in recent years has been a lynchpin in US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa, especially since the military seized power in Mali and Burkina Faso, becoming hostile to Western armed forces.

The July 26, 2023 coup in Niger -- which overthrew the democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum -- has seen the new regime move closer to its two neighbors and force the French and US military out of the country.

The US withdrawal from Niger kicked off in May, two months after the government said it was ending a military cooperation agreement with Washington, claiming the presence of US soldiers was now "illegal."

Niger's regime has tilted notably towards Russia -- which sent instructors and military equipment this year -- and has also tightened relations with Turkey and Iran.

For around a decade, Niger has been grappling with bloody violence by armed groups linked to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group and Al-Qaeda, and has also had to contend with violence from Boko Haram.