Withdrawal Of French Troops From Niger: Only a few soldiers remain
The French troops in Niger continue their withdrawal, and the repatriation of the majority of soldiers is nearing completion. As of December 10th, only 180 soldiers out of the initially deployed 1.500 remain, according to information from the Nigerien army. The disengagement is expected to be complete by December 22nd, as per the authorities.
Relations between France and Niger became strained following a change of power in Niamey. In July, the new authorities requested the withdrawal of the French contingent and the recall of Ambassador Sylvain Itté.
Despite Emmanuel Macron’s initial refusal to negotiate, France eventually formalized the withdrawal on September 24th, but the process unfolded in a challenging context. The closure of land borders with Benin and Nigeria complicated the withdrawal, and supply issues were encountered at some bases.
Simultaneously with this withdrawal, Niger decided to depart from the G5 Sahel, a group aimed at combating terrorism. Instead, the country opted for a security alliance with Mali and Burkina Faso, aiming to address instability in the region.
