Niger’s Junta Takes Control over US Airbase, Ending Counterterrorism Partnership

The United States has officially relinquished control of its last military base in Niger to the country’s ruling junta, marking the final step in a withdrawal of US troops that began earlier this month and the junta’s decision to end a counterterrorism agreement with Washington.

Airbase 201, located in the city of Agadez, served as one of two key hubs for American counterterrorism operations in Niger. The other, Airbase 101 in the capital of Niamey, was a smaller drone base that US troops vacated earlier this month.

According to Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, around 20 US soldiers remain in Niger, primarily to oversee the administrative aspects of the withdrawal. They are stationed at the US embassy.

The withdrawal comes after Niger’s junta, which came to power in a coup last year, severed ties with Western partners and turned towards Russia for security assistance. The US, along with France, had stationed over 2,500 personnel in the Sahel region, plagued by militant groups linked to al-Qaida and ISIS.

While the remaining US personnel are expected to leave Niger by September 15, the Pentagon is actively seeking new partnerships in West Africa. As the region’s security landscape shifts, the US faces the challenge of adapting its counterterrorism strategy to navigate the evolving geopolitical dynamics.