Niger says all French troops will have left by December 22

All French soldiers stationed in Niger as part of the anti-jihadist mission will leave by December 22, marking the final stage of their departure, which began in October. The Nigerien military regime, which came to power in a July 26 coup, confirmed this in a statement, signaling the end of France’s military presence in the country.

Since the coup, relations between France and Niger have deteriorated, with the new leadership demanding the withdrawal of the 1,500 French soldiers deployed to combat jihadist forces. This request was coupled with the denunciation of military agreements between Niamey and Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron eventually agreed to withdraw the troops, with a deadline set for the end of the year.

The Nigerien army confirmed that as of Tuesday, 1,346 French troops and 80% of their logistical equipment had been removed from the country, leaving only 157 French soldiers, mostly logistics personnel. The process of disengagement has been described as coordinated and secure.

This withdrawal marks the collapse of a long-standing military partnership between France and Niger. Following the coup, Niger’s ruling generals severed ties with several Western allies, including France. The regime also recently ended two European Union security missions in the country while welcoming a Russian delegation, signaling a shift in its international alliances.

Niger has aligned itself with other West African nations under military rule, such as Burkina Faso and Mali, with which it shares the struggle against jihadist violence. Alongside these countries, Niger has withdrawn from the G5 Sahel anti-jihadist coalition, leaving only Mauritania and Chad as active members.

Despite these developments, ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) continues to maintain its economic and financial sanctions on Niger. These sanctions were imposed after the coup, and their easing is contingent upon a “short transition” back to civilian rule.

Meanwhile, international humanitarian organizations have called for the sanctions to be eased, arguing that they are exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Niger, where over 4.3 million people are in urgent need of aid. These groups are pressing for the delivery of emergency assistance through neighboring Benin to alleviate the suffering of civilians.