US Finally Pulling Out of Niger Months After Government Ends Military Agreement

The United States announced plans to complete the drawdown of its military presence in Niger Friday, four months after the government of the West African country terminated its security agreement with the US.

American personnel will leave “a small base” this weekend, according to reports, while some 500 troops will evacuate a large surveillance center in August. The drone base, known as Niger Air Base 201, has drawn particular controversy, serving as a major hub of the CIA’s spying operations in the Sahel.

The lavish $100 million facility was completed just six years ago and was the largest construction project in the US Air Force’s history. Critics questioned whether the United States would willingly abandon the costly investment, which was central to the country’s projection of power in the region.