The Bottom Line Upfront
The United States will withdraw its forces stationed at Air Base 101 in Niamey, Niger this weekend as part of an agreement with the ruling military government.
The Breakdown
- This move follows a plan agreed upon in May and comes after demands were made by Niger's military rulers following last year's coup. The U.S. also plans to exit another outpost, Air Base 201, by August.
- France previously withdrew their forces involved in counterterrorism missions from Niger at the end of 2023, as dynamics shift in West Africa.
- For example of the dynamic shift, Irregular Warfare called the dynamic change "shifting sands," and traced a lack of confidence on the part of irregular warfare conduct in the Sahel without the presence of Western forces, after a similar French exit from Burkina Faso and Mali. Despite this, the West of Africa sees a policy and societal shift away from Western aid in its military operations.
- The last American forces are expected to leave Air Base 101 by Sunday and depart from Air Base 201 by August.
- This development undermines regional security dynamics just as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have formed their own confederation aimed at addressing similar threats independently.
- As international forces retreat under pressure from local governments post-coup, there is increased urgency for African nations to bolster cooperative measures against militant groups destabilizing the region.
