US completes withdrawal of troops from Niger

Since last year's coup, Niger has turned from the West and aligned more with Russia

US and Nigerien flags fly at Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, in 2018. AP

The US military has finished withdrawing its troops from Niger, the Pentagon said on Monday. A small number of military personnel assigned to guard the US embassy remain, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

The West African nation's junta in April ordered the US to withdraw its almost 1,000 troops, in an embarrassing setback for Washington that followed a coup last year in Niger.

A few months later, officials from both countries said in a joint statement that US troops would complete their withdrawal by the middle of September.

Before the coup, Niger had been a key partner in the US fight against insurgents in the Sahel region of Africa, who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.

The US handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities last month, but about two dozen American soldiers stayed in the country, largely for administrative duties related to the withdrawal, Ms Singh said.

In recent months Niger has pulled away from its western partners, turning instead to Russia for security. In April, Russian military trainers arrived in Niger to reinforce the country’s air defences.