BREAKING: US Reaches Agreement With Niger’s Military Leaders (DETAILS)

BREAKING: US Reaches Agreement With Niger’s Military Leaders (DETAILS)

The United States military has resumed operations in Niger, deploying drones and other aircraft from airbases in the country over a month after a coup disrupted activities, according to General James Hecker, the head of Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.

Following the July coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, about 1,100 US soldiers stationed in the West African country were confined to their military bases.

General Hecker revealed on Wednesday that negotiations with Niger’s military leaders led to the resumption of some intelligence and surveillance missions.

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“For a while, we weren’t doing any missions on the bases, they pretty much closed down the airfields,” Hecker informed reporters at the annual Air and Space Forces Association convention. “Through the diplomatic process, we are now doing, I wouldn’t say 100 percent of the missions that we were doing before, but we’re doing a large amount of missions that we’re doing before,” he stated.

Hecker mentioned that the US is conducting both crewed and unmanned missions, and these flights restarted “within the last couple of weeks.”

Last week, the Pentagon stated that some US forces were relocated from Air Base 101 near the capital Niamey to another base, Airport 201, in Agadez. Agadez is situated about 920km (around 570 miles) northeast of Niamey.

Niger has been a key regional hub for US patrols with armed drones and other operations against insurgent groups and rebel movements that have taken control of territory in the region, resulting in civilian casualties and clashes with the armed forces.

In the first six months of this year, West Africa recorded over 1,800 rebel attacks, leading to nearly 4,600 fatalities, as reported by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

France, which continues to support former President Bazoum, maintains approximately 1,500 troops in Niger. Paris officials have declared the coup and its leaders as illegitimate while expressing ongoing support for the ousted president.

Niger’s military leaders have also called for the French military to withdraw from the country. Speculation has arisen that France may be compelled to execute a full military withdrawal, with a source from the French defence ministry stating last week that discussions were underway with Niger’s military regarding the withdrawal of “elements” of its presence in the country.