The Pentagon announced on Monday that the United States has begun discussions with Niger regarding withdrawing more than a thousand American soldiers from the country, which is a main base for regional counter-terrorism operations.
Last March, the military junta in Niger said that it had canceled the military cooperation agreement with Washington, which agreed to withdraw its forces last week, and promised to send a delegation to Niamey within days.
Pentagon spokesman General Pat Ryder told reporters: “We can confirm the start of discussions between the United States and Niger regarding an orderly withdrawal of American forces from the country.”
Ryder added that the Department of Defense sent “a small delegation from the Pentagon and the US Africa Command to participate in the discussions.”
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