U.S. State Department Comments on France's Withdrawal from Niger

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters today that France's decision to withdraw its troops from Niger following the July coup in the West African nation does not change the U.S. position in Niger. French President Emmanuel Macron stated yesterday that 1,500 soldiers will be withdrawn by the end of the year, dealing a significant blow to French influence and counterinsurgency efforts in the Sahel region.