US set to withdraw from Niger as report reveals American troops 'stranded' amid military coup
Niger prohibiting allies from providing relief, support to US troops
The United States is set to withdraw its military presence from Niger following the release of a report raising questions about U.S. military operations in the African country and warning that troops are on the verge of running out of basic necessities as they remain “stranded” there amid a military coup.
CNN reported Friday that the U.S. would withdraw from Niger, while not providing details about a timeline for the process.
"We can confirm the beginning of discussions between the U.S. and Niger for the orderly withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country,” a U.S. Department of Defense official told the cable news outlet. “The DoD is providing a small delegation from the Pentagon and U.S. Africa Command to participate in the discussions. In terms of departure timing, we do not want to speculate and get ahead of the planning discussions.”
Get Our Latest News for FREE
This development comes after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., released a report last week titled “Unwelcome in Niger” that details what he describes as an “American troop crisis” in the African country. The congressman compiled the document after his staff conducted interviews of “active duty U.S. troops” stationed there.
“Since the hostility within the government of Niger that took over in mid-2023, the Department of Defense is unable to execute planned troop rotations or deliver mail, medical supplies, equipment, and other materials,” the report stated. “The Biden Administration is actively suppressing intelligence reports about the atmospherics of the Nigerian position to avoid embarrassment for investing hundreds of millions of dollars in a nation where U.S. forces are no longer welcome.”
The report noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken characterized Niger as being “really an extraordinary model at a time of great challenge — a model of democracy, a model of cooperation” in March 2023. It explained how the military took over the country in the following months, leading to deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Niger.
Stating that “the junta announced a cancellation of military accords with the United States” last month, the document maintained, “This deterioration of diplomatic arrangements has led to our servicemembers being caught in the middle of a standoff between an inept Department of State and a U.S.-trained Nigerien coup-force.”
Consequences of the deterioration of relations between the U.S. and Niger listed in the report include “total cessation of diplomatic clearance overflights, preventing the delivery of mail, necessary medical supplies, blood to replenish the blood bank (which requires constant turnover due to expiration windows), equipment and repair supplies; and other routine [material] from the United States.”
“Personnel rotations for servicemembers have been halted, leaving our troops stranded without any indication of relief or return home, as replacements aren’t authorized to enter Niger," the report adds. "American contractors have also been prohibited from entering the country, and contracted support staff are quickly vacating when their visas (ineligible for renewal) lapse. This has led to a crisis as the base deteriorates and contracts, such as for the installation maintenance, are called into question.”
“The new government of Niger also apparently prohibits our other allies in the country — Germany and Italy — from providing any relief or logistics support to our troops. There is no end in sight,” the report continued. The document also shared predictions from service members on the ground that medication for individual troops on the ground in Niger is slated to run out in May.
In addition to raising concerns about the situation facing U.S. troops on the Niger, the report also alleges that the Biden administration has provided “false reports to Congress.” Specifically, Gaetz contended that Biden told House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that 648 soldiers remained in Niger as of December 2023, while that number was actually closer to 1,100.
The report included testimony from one service member who asserted, “When our AFRICOM leaders look to us to provide atmospherics on the ground, they go to the Embassy first and hear a watered down or false story than what is being reported.” He also told Gaetz’s office that “I know of at least [three] reports from [the Office of Special Investigations] about Nigerien sentiment that have been discredited by the Embassy and turned out to be 100% true.”
After reiterating how troops are finding themselves running low on medication, safe water and other necessities, the document concluded with letters to Executive Branch agencies and officials working for the governments of our European allies marked as exhibits. The first letter, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on April 17, coincided with the release of the report.
In the letter, Gaetz asked Austin to answer a series of questions pertaining to “the current status of the U.S. security cooperation and status of forces agreement with Niger” as well as asking if the U.S. had been instructed to leave Niger, seeking information about the presence of Russian troops there, requesting clarification about the status of needed supplies in the country and other information about the situation on the ground relayed to him by service members in addition to inquiring about how much money the U.S. was spending on military operations there.
The second letter, addressed to Blinken, asked similar questions of the Secretary of State in addition to asking top State Department officials to provide their assessment of the situation on the ground. The third letter, addressed to the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, asked the Ambassador to “describe any operational assistance you currently provide to the United States” and efforts by the Nigerien government to hinder such operations. A fourth letter asked similar questions of the Embassy of Italy.
Gaetz gave Blinken and Austin until May 15 to submit a report containing answers to his questions while requesting responses from the Italian and German ambassadors to the U.S. by April 26.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
