The United States will withdraw most of its troops from Chad and Niger as it works to restore key agreements governing the role of the US military and its counterterrorism operations. This was reported by AR with reference to the Pentagon's statement, UNN reports.
Details
Both African countries have been an integral part of the U.S. military's efforts to combat violent extremist organizations in the Sahel region, but last month Niger's ruling junta terminated an agreementthat allowed U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. In recent days, neighboring Chad has also questioned whether the existing agreement covers U.S. troops operating there.
The U.S. will redeploy most of the approximately 100 troops currently stationed in Chad, Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a press briefing on Thursday.
As negotiations with Chadian officials continue, the United States is currently planning to redeploy some U.S. military forces from Chad. This is an interim step as part of an ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's presidential election on May 6
According to Ryder, most of the 1,000 U.S. troops in Niger are expected to be withdrawn as well.
Recall
France has already completed the withdrawal of troops from Niger, ending more than a decade of anti-Islamist operations in the Sahel region. After the coup, the new military regime in Niger demanded their withdrawal and expelled the French ambassador.