(updated at 11:10 p.m.)
The US forces in Niger (a thousand men involved in operations against the jihadist militias) have resumed their operational activities in the Sahel, according to USAF General James Hecker, commander of American air forces in Europe and Africa.
1,100 US troops were present in Niger, some of whom were evacuated to other African countries and some were moved from Base 101 at Niamey Airport to Base 201 at Agadez Airport (in the photo below), 920 kilometers east of the capital, where there were also armed Remotely piloted MQ9 Reaper aircraft as well as transport and intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) aircraft are stationed.
“We had no operations on the bases for a while,” said Hecker (pictured opposite). “As part of the diplomatic process, we’re doing, I wouldn’t say 100% of the missions that we’ve done before, but a majority of the missions,” Hecker said on the sidelines of the Air and Space Forces Association’s annual meeting
The news shows the different approach of the military junta that took power in Niger on July 26 to the military presence of Washington and the French soldiers, some 1,500 soldiers who Niamey ordered to leave the country together (referring to the military terminated cooperation agreements with Paris). with the French ambassador.
Rumors confirmed by the French Foreign Ministry speak of an imminent reduction in French forces in Niger, particularly drones, aircraft and part of the armed forces. An increasingly obvious difference in the junta’s approach, also confirmed by the arrival in Niger of the new director of public affairs and spokesperson for the US Embassy, Kenya, Jorana Jemes, who joins the new ambassador, Kethleen Fitz Gibbon, who arrived in August, immediately after the coup, with the aim of “supporting the efforts of young Nigerians, civil society, the press, NGOs and project leaders”.
The United States, which, unlike Paris, has ruled out the military option to overthrow the military junta that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, therefore seems well prepared to engage in dialogue with the coup plotters, reinforcing the hypothesis that Washington is behind the sudden collapse wants to exploit French influence in Africa.
Furthermore, as Defense Analysis highlighted in a recent article by Giampaolo Cadalanu, a large number of African officers trained in the United States and near Washington have been protagonists of the coups that have struck West Africa and the Sahel in recent years have.
In order to thwart possible joint military initiatives between France and the states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Nigerian military junta announced the end of the military cooperation agreement with Benin, accusing the neighbor of authorizing the deployment of soldiers in its territory for one possible military intervention led by Nigeria.
In a press release read on national television, the junta said it had “called on several occasions to respect the commitments” of this agreement signed with Benin on July 11, 2022, which has decided to “terminate” because Benin “has decided to commit aggression to be considered.” against Niger instead of supporting it.” The note goes on to say that “Benin has authorized the deployment of mercenary soldiers and war material in view of an aggression desired by France in collaboration with some countries” by ECOWAS against Niger.
Today Niamey announced it has canceled a thousand diplomatic passports issued to foreign citizens by the ousted government. The Foreign Ministry notified diplomatic missions in Niger in writing that the passports had “expired,” according to copies of the letter posted on social media. The diplomatic documents concern former senior officials of institutions and ministries as well as former deputies and advisers, including the President and Prime Minister, the official ANP news agency reported last night.
Around 50 passports were issued to American, British, French, Libyan and Turkish citizens, as well as other West African nationals. By the end of August, the new regime had already revoked the passports of several members of the government who were abroad, including the prime minister, the foreign minister and the Nigerien ambassador to France.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian junta has released Stéphane Jullien, a Niger-based adviser to the French abroad who was arrested on September 8. “France welcomes the release of Stéphane Jullien,” French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre said without providing further explanation.
Tensions are also rising between France and Burkina Faso, whose military junta is allied with those ruling Mali and Niger and which today announced the expulsion, with two weeks’ notice, of the French embassy’s military attaché accused of “subversive activities.” left the country. The Burkinabe Foreign Ministry announced that “the government of Burkina Faso has decided (…) to revoke the authorization of Emmanuel Pasquier, defense attaché at the French Embassy in Burkina Faso, due to subversive activities.”
The war (for now only of words) between France and its former colonies in the Sahel, ruled by military juntas, continues at levels other than the politico-military. As of today, Paris has suspended cultural cooperation with Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The General Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) has decided that all organizations subsidized by the French state must “suspend until further notice” cooperation in the cultural sector with the three African countries. “For security reasons, since August 7, France has suspended the issuance of visas from Niamey, Ouagadougou and Bamako, as well as the implementation of our cultural cooperation measures in these countries,” the Foreign Ministry said in Paris.
Photo: USAF and AFRICOM
Also read:
But which Wagner? Many African military coup leaders have ties to the United States, which trained them
Burkina Faso will send troops to Niger: tensions rise between Niamey and Paris
Transaqua, the “Mattei plan” boycotted by France and the EU.