2024-04-25 00:19:42
The United States has begun negotiations with Niger on the withdrawal of American troops from the African country. This was confirmed by Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder at a regular briefing for journalists, Day.Az reports with reference to TASS.
“We can confirm the start of consultations between the United States and Niger regarding the orderly withdrawal of American troops from the country,” he said. Ryder clarified that Washington sent a small delegation of representatives of the Pentagon and the African Command of the US Armed Forces to participate in the negotiations.
“As for the timing of the withdrawal, we are not going to speculate on them and get ahead of the negotiations,” he emphasized. Ryder noted that there have been no changes in the number of American troops in Niger yet.
In March, Niger terminated a military agreement with the United States, according to which an American UAV base had been established in the north of the African country. Explaining their decision, Niger’s military authorities indicated that the agreement was imposed on the country and did not meet the interests of the people. The US administration reported that it maintains contacts with the leadership of Niger and continues to discuss the current situation. At the end of 2023, there were about 1.1 thousand US military personnel in Niger, most of them at an air force base near Agadez.
According to John Hudson, a journalist for the American newspaper The Washington Post, the United States has agreed to withdraw its military contingent from Niger.