The US military will begin plans to withdraw troops from Niger

By JACK THOMPSON and SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — U.S. officials said that they will begin to withdraw troops from Niger but there is no timeline. The planned departure comes comes as U.S. officials said Saturday they were trying to find a new military agreement after relations have frayed between Niger and the U.S. Experts say that the loss of access to air bases in Niger is a major setback for the U.S. and its allies in the region because of its strategic location for security operations in the Sahel.