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Photo: thesudantimes.com
The US has completed the withdrawal of personnel from an air base in Niger
Air Base 201, a drone base near Agadez in central Niger that cost $100 million to build, provided critical intelligence on Islamist militant groups before the coup.
In a joint statement by the Ministry of Defense of Niger and the US Armed Forces, it is noted that personnel and equipment have been completely withdrawn from the base.
"Effective cooperation and communication between the armed forces of the United States and Niger ensured that this exchange was completed on time and without complications," the statement said.
Aviation base 201 is located in the central part of the country. Its construction cost almost 100 million dollars and before the coup it provided important intelligence on Islamist militant groups.
It is known that the junta that seized power in the country demanded the withdrawal of almost 1000 American troops last year. Niger's decision to request the withdrawal of US troops followed a meeting in Niamey in mid-March, when senior US officials raised concerns about issues such as the expected arrival of Russian troops and reports that Iran was seeking raw materials from the country, including uranium.
