In Major Blow to the West, US Says it Will Draw Up Plans to Withdraw Troops from Niger

Dakar (Senegal):  United States will begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger, US officials said Saturday, in what experts say is a blow to Washington and its allies in region in terms of staging security operations in Sahel. planned departure comes as US officials said y were trying to find a new military agreement.

prime minister of Niger, appointed by ruling military junta, Ali Lamine Zeine, and US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell, agreed on Friday that two nations would begin to plan withdrawal of American troops, US State Department told Associated Press in an email on Saturday.

US officials gave no timeline about ir withdrawal. An American delegation to coordinate details of withdrawal process will be dispatched soon.

Niger plays a central role in US military’s operations in Africa’s Sahel region, an area on edge of Sahara Desert. Washington is concerned about spre of jihi violence, where local groups have pledged allegiance to al-Qaida and Islamic State groups.

Niger is home to a major US air base, in city of Agez, about 920 kilometres (550 miles) from capital, Niamey, using it for manned and unmanned surveillance flights and or operations. US has also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military since it began operations re in 2013.

But relations have frayed between Niger and Western countries since mutinous soldiers ousted country’s democratically elected president in July. Niger’s junta has since told French forces to leave and turned inste to Russia for security.

Earlier this month, Russian military trainers arrived to reinforce country’s air defences and with Russian equipment to train Nigeriens to use.

re was an attempt on behalf of US to revise military agreement with Niger that would allow m to stay, US officials told AP. But agreement between Zeine and Campbell shows that effort has failed.

loss of access to air bases in Niger is a major setback for US and its allies in region because of its strategic location for security operations in Sahel, said Peter Pham, former US special envoy for Sahel region.

“In short term, y will be hard to replace,” said Pham, ding that remaining European Union military presence would likely pull out of Niger following news of a US departure.

rupture of relations between two nations would impact development and humanitarian aid funds destined for Niger, a country at bottom of many indicators of well-being, Pham said.

Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Niger’s military rulers with ir communications, told AP that American troops could potentially return after negotiations and that ruling Niger junta, National Council for Safeguard of Homeland, wants to maintain a good working relationship with US.

US should find a new mode of engagement that departs from failed counterterrorism cooperation model of past dece, and continues to press or states in Sahel region on accountability and human rights abuses, said Hannah Rae Armstrong, a senior consultant on Sahel peace and security.

two officials said that Niger and US would continue to work toger on areas of shared interest.