Niger’s junta ends ties with U.S military

The junta in Niger announced on state television Saturday that it no longer believes the U.S. military presence in the country is justified. This decision was made after high-level talks with U.S. diplomatic and military officials, during which Niger expressed its suspension of military cooperation with Washington and criticized recent U.S. flights over its territory as illegal.

Niger is a key partner for U.S. military operations in Africa’s Sahel region, hosting a major airbase in Agadez. Concerns about jihadist violence in the region, including groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State, have led the U.S. to invest heavily in training Niger’s military and conducting surveillance flights from the country.

Following the overthrow of Niger’s democratically elected president in July, the U.S. designated the event as a coup and imposed restrictions on military aid. However, there were discussions in December about potentially restoring aid and security ties if certain conditions were met.

The junta in Niger criticized the U.S. for what it perceived as a condescending tone and a threat to Niger’s sovereignty. This sentiment was echoed by France, which recently withdrew its troops from the country following the coup.

Despite ongoing tensions, U.S. officials, including the top envoy for Africa and the head of African Command, have met with Niger’s government to discuss the situation. The U.S. currently has around 650 personnel in Niger, according to a report to Congress.