The US is looking for ways to keep its military presence and activities in Niger, despite the political instability caused by the overthrow of the democratically elected government by a military junta last month. The US has about 800 troops and several drones in Niger, mainly for intelligence gathering and counter-terrorism operations against militant groups in the region.
The State Department has not yet made a legal determination whether the military takeover in Niger constitutes a coup d’etat, which would trigger restrictions on US security assistance and cooperation with Nigerien forces. However, the Biden administration is exploring the possibility of using a waiver to allow certain US military activities to continue on national security grounds, officials told CNN.
The Pentagon is also repositioning some troops and equipment within Niger and withdrawing some non-essential personnel as a precautionary measure, according to Reuters. The US officials said that this does not change the overall force posture in Niger and that they are still reviewing all options for the way forward.
The US considers its presence in Niger as vital for tackling terrorism in the region and believes that it is feasible to work with the Nigerien military even amid the domestic turmoil. Some of the junta leaders have been trained by the US and have not expressed any anti-American sentiment or asked the US to leave, officials said.
One of the key figures in the coup is Brig. Gen Moussa Barmou, the commander of the Nigerien special operations forces who has worked closely with the US. Maj. Gen. J. Marcus Hicks, the former commander of Special Operations Command Africa, said that Barmou is not anti-western and that it would be possible for the US to continue working with him and his forces.
