The United States military has completed its withdrawal from air base 201 in Niger, officials said on Monday, following an order from Niger’s ruling junta for nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel to leave the country after last year’s coup.
Air base 201, located near Agadez in central Niger and built at a cost of $100 million, had been crucial for gathering intelligence on Islamist militant groups.
A joint statement from Niger’s defence ministry and the U.S. military confirmed the withdrawal of personnel and equipment, noting that cooperation and communication between the U.S. and Nigerien armed forces facilitated a smooth and ahead-of-schedule turnover.
Niger’s junta has set a deadline of September 15 for the complete removal of U.S. troops from the country. U.S. troops had already vacated air base 101 last month.