The United States has started the withdrawal of military equipment and additional personnel from Niger ahead of schedule, CNN reported, citing sources in the Pentagon and the Ministry of Defence of Niger.
In May, the US and Niger reached an agreement on the process of leaving US troops in the country, giving the military four months to withdraw about 1,000 US troops and equipment.
The CNN publication notes that the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops from Niger agreed by the two countries is 15 September. The channel’s sources say Washington’s priority was primarily to remove sensitive equipment from the West African country.
According to CNN, on Friday, 7 June, a US C-17 cargo plane was on its way to Niger’s capital Niamey, where most of the US military forces and equipment are located, at the so-called Base 101. An unnamed Pentagon source confirmed to the TV station that the flight was to remove equipment and some personnel.
For the US, Niger was a central hub from which militant extremist groups in the region were monitored, and the Pentagon also trained Nigerian troops. According to U.S. officials, U.S. military personnel who left the country before the agreement: left the West African country on commercial flights.
Recall, earlier the state broadcaster RTN reported that a cargo plane from Russia arrived in the capital of Niger Niamey with humanitarian aid, and also delivered to the country the necessary military equipment.