U.S. officials revealed to Reuters today, Thursday, that the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) has made the decision to reposition some troops and equipment within Niger and withdraw a small number of non-essential personnel "as a precaution," marking the first significant U.S. military action in Niger since the July coup. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to specify how many personnel would leave or how many would transfer from Air Base 101 in Niamey, the capital of Niger, to Air Base 201 in Agadez. Prior to this decision, there were 1,100 soldiers in the West African nation.
One official stated that these additional measures "represent careful military planning aimed at protecting U.S. assets while continuing to confront the threat of violent extremism in the region." The official added, "This does not change our overall force posture in Niger, and we continue to review all options as we assess the way forward." Over the past decade, U.S. forces have trained Nigerien troops to combat terrorism and have conducted drone missions against ISIS and another group in the region affiliated with al-Qaeda.
It remains unclear whether the repositioning of forces within Niger is part of potential preparations in case the U.S. decides to withdraw all troops from the country. The official remarked, "The relevant authorities coordinated the movement of U.S. assets and approved it."
### The 48-Hour Deadline
Agence France-Presse reported that Niger has given the U.S. ambassador a 48-hour ultimatum to leave the country. The new U.S. ambassador to Niger, Kathleen Fitzgibbon, arrived in the capital Niamey earlier this month to assume her role. However, the U.S. State Department announced that while ambassador Fitzgibbon has arrived in Niamey, she will not present her credentials officially due to the "current political crisis." State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the ambassador's arrival "does not reflect a change in our political stance but is a response to the need for having senior leadership for our mission during a difficult time." Miller added, "Fitzgibbon's diplomatic focus will be on advocating for a diplomatic solution that upholds constitutional order in Niger and the immediate release of President Bazoum, his family, and all those unlawfully detained."
