U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine on Friday and they agreed – after Niger’s demands – that the U.S. would militarily withdraw from the country, according to a State Department official.Video above: Russian air defense system, trainers arrive in NigerIn the coming days, there will be conversations over the timeline for the withdrawal with the Department of Defense, the official said.The major drawdown will significantly impact the U.S. troop presence on the continent of Africa, and the move comes amid serious U.S. concerns about the country’s deepening relationships with Russia and Iran. The New York Times first reported on the expected withdrawal.Campbell’s meeting with Zeine was their second this week, while he was in Washington, D.C., for the World Bank’s spring meetings.Just last month, Niger said it was revoking its military cooperation deal with the US, and these conversations followed what have been contentious interactions between officials from the two countries in recent months. Last summer the U.S. troops stationed in Niger became inactive after a military coup that pushed out the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, and installed the military junta.Throughout the conversation with Campbell this week, Zeine stressed a desire for partnership with the U.S. to continue and made an effort to differentiate this situation from that of the French, the State Department official said. Still, it appears that both countries will be militarily forced out of the country within a year of one another. The U.S. will maintain a diplomatic presence in the country, the official said.Earlier this week in Niger, a senior airman filed a formal whistleblower complaint, warning that the U.S. ambassador to Niger and the defense attache had “intentionally suppressed intelligence” in an attempt to “maintain a façade of a great country-to-country relationship.”And U.S. forces on the continent faced another blow last week when Chadian officials threatened to cancel the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, which determines the rules and conditions under which U.S. military personnel can operate in the country. While the letter did not directly order the U.S. military to leave Chad, officials told CNN that it said all U.S. forces would have to leave a French base in N’Djamena.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine on Friday and they agreed – after Niger’s demands – that the U.S. would militarily withdraw from the country, according to a State Department official.
Video above: Russian air defense system, trainers arrive in Niger
In the coming days, there will be conversations over the timeline for the withdrawal with the Department of Defense, the official said.
The major drawdown will significantly impact the U.S. troop presence on the continent of Africa, and the move comes amid serious U.S. concerns about the country’s deepening relationships with Russia and Iran. The New York Times first reported on the expected withdrawal.
Campbell’s meeting with Zeine was their second this week, while he was in Washington, D.C., for the World Bank’s spring meetings.
Just last month, Niger said it was revoking its military cooperation deal with the US, and these conversations followed what have been contentious interactions between officials from the two countries in recent months. Last summer the U.S. troops stationed in Niger became inactive after a military coup that pushed out the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, and installed the military junta.
Throughout the conversation with Campbell this week, Zeine stressed a desire for partnership with the U.S. to continue and made an effort to differentiate this situation from that of the French, the State Department official said. Still, it appears that both countries will be militarily forced out of the country within a year of one another. The U.S. will maintain a diplomatic presence in the country, the official said.
Earlier this week in Niger, a senior airman filed a formal whistleblower complaint, warning that the U.S. ambassador to Niger and the defense attache had “intentionally suppressed intelligence” in an attempt to “maintain a façade of a great country-to-country relationship.”
And U.S. forces on the continent faced another blow last week when Chadian officials threatened to cancel the Status of Forces Agreement, or SOFA, which determines the rules and conditions under which U.S. military personnel can operate in the country. While the letter did not directly order the U.S. military to leave Chad, officials told CNN that it said all U.S. forces would have to leave a French base in N’Djamena.
