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The United States has started removing military equipment and personnel from Niger ahead of the agreed-upon withdrawal deadline of September 15. The withdrawal comes after months of waiting for the ruling military junta to approve US military flights into the country. The US priority is to remove sensitive equipment from Niger, and flight tracking websites showed US C-17 cargo aircraft en route to the Nigerien capital of Niamey on Friday. The US and Niger reached an agreement last month for the withdrawal of American forces from the country, giving the military four months to pull approximately 1,000 US personnel and military equipment from the West African nation. The relationship between the US and the military junta grew increasingly strained as Biden administration officials called for a clear path to free and fair elections. As the US prepares to withdraw from the country, Russian forces have moved in, operating at the same base as US forces. Russia has worked hard to expand its influence in the region, and it's unlikely the US will continue any meaningful relationship with the current Nigerien leadership, especially while Russian influence continues to expand in the region.
