WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is working with Niger officials to find a way for U.S. troops to remain in the country — a key base for counterterrorism operations in sub-Saharan Africa — after a weekend directive that they leave.
Last week, a high-level delegation of US officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander and the head of US Africa Command General Michael Langley, traveled to Niger to meet with members of the military junta.
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Monday that U.S. officials had “protracted and direct” discussions with the junta officials, which were also fueled in part by concerns about Niger’s potential relations with Russia and Iran.
“We had problems with the direction Niger is taking,” Singh said.
On Saturday, after the meeting, junta spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said that US flights over Niger territory in recent weeks had been illegal. Meanwhile, Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Niger’s military rulers with their communications, criticized US efforts to force the junta to choose between strategic partners.
“U.S. bases and civilian personnel can no longer remain on Nigerian soil,” he told The Associated Press.
Singh said the US was aware of the March 16 statement “announcing the end of the Status of Forces Agreement between Niger and the United States. We are working through diplomatic channels to obtain clarification. These are ongoing discussions and we have nothing more to share at this time.”
Foreign Office spokesperson Vedant Patel said the discussions were prompted by Niger’s “trajectory”.
“We are in contact with the transition authorities to seek clarification on their comments and to discuss additional next steps,” Patel said.
The junta has been largely in control of Niger since July, when mutinous soldiers ousted the country’s democratically elected president and months later asked French troops to leave.
The U.S. military still had about 650 troops working in Niger in December, largely concentrated at a base further away from Niamey, Niger’s capital. Singh said the total number of personnel still in the country, including civilians and contractors, is about 1,000.
The Niger base is critical to US counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel and has been used for both manned and unmanned surveillance operations, although Singh said the only drone flights currently being conducted are for troop protection.
In the Sahel, the US has also supported local ground forces, including by accompanying them on missions. However, such guided missions have been scaled back since US troops were killed during a joint operation in Niger in 2017.