France’s withdrawal from Niger could jeopardize counterterrorism operations in the Sahel

By CHINEDU ASADU
Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The French troops who are being forced out of Niger were seen as a key line of defense in efforts led by the West, particularly the U.S. and France, to fight against jihadi violence in Africa’s hard-hit Sahel region. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is pushing for Niger’s political crisis to be resolved through diplomatic means. It already threatens counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert which accounted for more than 40% of extremism deaths in the world in 2022, according to the Global Terrorism Index. Analysts say much will depend on what type of relationship the U.S. will have with Niger’s junta.