US officials will meet Thursday with members of Niger's government on the withdrawal of American troops from the African country, said a Pentagon spokesman.
"Per the U.S. State Department, U.S. Ambassador to Niger Kathleen FitzGibbon and Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman, U.S. Africa Command Director of Strategy, Engagement and Programs, will meet with National Committee for Safeguarding the Homeland (CNSP) officials April 25 in Niamey, Niger to initiate discussions on an orderly and safe withdrawal of U.S. forces from Niger," Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Wednesday in a statement.
Christopher Maier, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, and Lt. Gen. Dagvin Anderson, Joint Staff Director for Joint Force Development, will conduct follow-up meetings in the capital Niamey next week, Ryder added.
The US has approximately 1,100 forces in Niger.
Niger is ruled by a junta which ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum last July, citing a worsening security situation.
The West African country terminated its longstanding military agreement with Washington in early March this year, declaring the presence of all US troops and contractors "illegal" because "it was not democratically approved and imposes unfavorable conditions on Niger, particularly in terms of lack of transparency on military activities," according to Nigerien government spokesman Amadou Abdramane.
During the previous governments in Niger, US troops trained Nigerien forces in counterterrorism.
