U.S. completes military withdrawal from Niger

The U.S. military said Monday it has completed its withdrawal of nearly 1,000 military personnel from Niger, Reuters reports. The withdrawal was ordered by Niger's ruling junta earlier this year. Niger had been a critical partner in Washington's fight against insurgent groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda in the Sahel region. The withdrawal, prompted by a coup in Niger last year, represents a significant setback for U.S. counterterrorism efforts in West Africa. 

The phased withdrawal saw U.S. forces leave Air Base 101 in Niamey on July 7 and Air Base 201 in Agadez by August 5. The departure of the U.S. Africa Command Coordination Element was completed by September 15. Washington is looking for alternative solutions and officials worry that intelligence on the fast-growing extremist groups in the region is becoming more limited. In its statement on the withdrawal, the U.S. Department of Defense acknowledged the sacrifices made by both nations in combating terrorism.