US military completes withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Niger

The US Department of Defense and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Niger announced that the withdrawal of US forces and assets from Air Base 201 in Agadez was completed on August 5, 2024. 

On May 19, 2024, the two nations agreed that 1,000 US service members would leave the West African nation by September 15, 2024. After the US military forces fully withdrew from Air Base 101 in Niamey, around 200 service members remained at Air Base 201. 

US military completes withdrawal from Niamey Air Base 101 in Niger

DefensebyClement CharpentreauJuly 9, 2024

Located near Agadez in central Niger, the facility, which began construction in 2016, cost over $100 million and included building a runway capable of accommodating Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft.  

In 2019, the US Africa Command commenced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions using MQ-9 Reaper drones from the base to support regional counterterrorism efforts. 

“Over the past decade, US troops have trained Niger’s forces and supported partner-led counterterrorism missions against Islamic State and al Qaeda in the region,” the two nations said in a joint statement. “The US Department of Defense and the Nigerien Ministry of National Defense recognize the sacrifices made by both nations’ forces.” 

Following the overthrow of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023, a military junta known as the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) took power, leading to the revocation of several military cooperation agreements with Western countries, including France in December 2023 and the US in March 2024.  

After negotiations with the military regime to maintain a presence failed, Germany will also complete the full withdrawal of its armed forces from Niger by the end of August 2024. The post US military completes withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Niger appeared first on AeroTime.

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