France to begin withdrawing troops from Niger this week
France's Armed Forces Ministry says the 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger will start withdrawing from border areas this week. The French base in the capital, Niamey, will be decommissioned by the end of the year, following French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement last month of an end to military cooperation with Niger's ruling military junta.
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“The withdrawal of troops and military equipment begins this week,” the Armed Forces Ministry said in a statement, confirming that the exit should be complete by the end of the year.
“Coordination with the Nigerien army is essential to the operation's success. All measures have been taken to ensure that the movements proceed in good order and security.”
The military junta that has been running Niger since a coup on 26 July had asked France to leave.
After recalling France's ambassador, Macron last month announced the end of military cooperation with Niger, and said he he would not be “held hostage” by the junta.
Two-step withdrawal
The first to leave will be some 400 soldiers current deployed in Ouallam and Ayorou, in the north-western zone of the country that borders Mali and Burkina Faso and that has been taken over by the Islamic State armed group.
The French troops will head back to Niamey, leaving their joint operation with Niger to secure the region.
The retreat will take a few days, given the poor security conditions on the road. The soldiers will then immediately head back to France by air.
Leaving by land
Dismantling the French air base in Niamey will require more planning, as it is made up of hangars for aircrafts, hundreds of containers of offices and command centres, as well as tanks, bulldozers and other heavy equipment.
Material cannot be airlifted as Niger has prohibited French aircraft from flying in its airspace, and road options are limited. Equipment could be driven to the French base in neighbouring Chad, though Niger authorities have been reluctant to allow the military to move around freely.
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Since 2013, the base in Niamey has been used as a transit hub for anti-terrorist activities in Mali, and became the centre of France’s regional operations since the retreat of troops from Mali and Burkina Faso.
The withdrawal of French troops from Niger leaves a hole in Western efforts to counter a decade-long Islamist insurgency.
It is also a further blow to French influence in the Sahel, and could allow Russia to expand its influence over the region.
(with Reuters)
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