Washington to examine next steps after French announcement of withdrawal from Niger

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced on Monday that Washington would assess its future steps regarding the Niger crisis after France declared the withdrawal of its ambassador and troops from this country, which is experiencing a coup.

Austin told reporters in Nairobi during a visit to Kenya, "While we give diplomacy a chance, we will also continue to evaluate any future steps that prioritize our diplomatic and security goals."

However, he emphasized that Washington "has not made any tangible changes in the situation of our forces... and we really want to see a diplomatic solution and a peaceful end" to the crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that France would withdraw its ambassador from Niger and then French troops, two months after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who was close to Paris.

Macron said in an interview with French television, "France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the coming hours, our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France."

He added that military cooperation "has ended," and that French forces would withdraw "in the coming months and weeks," with a complete withdrawal "by the end of the year."

France maintained around 1,500 soldiers in Niger as part of its deployment to combat jihadists in the Sahel region. The United States deploys about 1,100 troops in the country.

The military rulers in Niger swiftly responded to Macron's announcement in a statement broadcast on national television.

In the statement, the Military Council described this move as a "historic moment," stating, "This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards Niger's sovereignty."

The coup on July 26 against Bazoum was the third of its kind in the region in several years, following similar movements in Mali and Burkina Faso in 2021 and 2022, which also forced French forces to withdraw.


AFP