Earlier this year, Niger's military government terminated an agreement allowing US troops to operate in the country. The two sides later announced that the US withdrawal would be completed by mid-September.

Last month, the US handed over its last military bases in Niger to local authorities, but about two dozen US troops remain to carry out administrative duties related to the withdrawal.

The forced withdrawal of US troops following the coup in Niger has major implications for Washington, as the bases were previously used for counter-terrorism missions in the Sahel.

In the region, terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS) are active, including Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an organization active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and with plans to expand into Benin and Togo.

Niger was previously seen as one of the last remaining partners for Western nations in the Sahel region. The United States and France have more than 2,500 troops in the region, and along with other European nations, have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance and training.

In recent months, however, Niger has increasingly distanced itself from its Western partners, turning instead to Russia for security cooperation. In April, Russian military instructors arrived in Niger to bolster the country’s air defenses.

Cao Phong (according to AP)