French troops pulled out from their bases in Niger on Tuesday, with the initial convoy escorted by the post-coup government of the country traveling “toward Chad,” as reported by authorities in Niamey.
“The troops based in Ouallam have left their base today. These are the operations for the departure of the first ground convoy in the direction of Chad, escorted by our defence and security forces,” Niger’s new rulers, which took power at the end of July, said in a statement on national television.
Alongside the land departure, there have been “three special flights” recorded at the airport in Niamey, with two designated for the departure of “97 special forces elements” and one specifically allocated for logistical purposes.
The government, which had guaranteed that the withdrawal would be conducted with “complete safety,” affirmed that the disengagement would proceed according to “a mutually agreed timetable.”
The rapid request for the withdrawal of French forces came from Niger’s newly established ruling authorities following their assumption of power on July 26. French President Emmanuel Macron subsequently affirmed their departure at the end of September.
Approximately 1,000 French troops were stationed in Niamey, with an additional 400 deployed at two forward bases in the northwest, close to Mali and Burkina Faso, regions known for insurgent activity.
