French Army Initiates Troop Withdrawal from Niger, Reflecting Years of Colonial Failure

The French army has announced that it will begin withdrawing troops from Niger "this week" following a disagreement with the military junta in power since a July coup. The decision comes after France's ambassador to Niamey returned home under pressure from the regime. President Emmanuel Macron had previously announced the withdrawal of 1,400 French troops by the end of the year. The troops were deployed in Niger as part of the fight against jihadists in the Sahel region, particularly in the "three borders" zone known as a haven for the Islamic State group.