Pentagon Announces Repositioning of US Troops in Niger

By Staff, Agencies

The United States is moving some of its troops from a base in Niger's capital Niamey - where rebel officers seized power in a July coup - to another in the Agadez area, the Pentagon said Thursday.

The US War Department "is repositioning some of our personnel and some of our assets from Air Base 101 in Niamey to Air Base 201 in Agadez," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists.

"There's no immediate threat to US personnel or violence on the ground," she said, describing the move as a "precautionary measure."

Singh also said "some non-essential personnel and contractors" had departed the country weeks ago. Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum was toppled on July 26 by some members of his guard and has been detained along with his family.

The military junta behind the coup in Niger said in August that it intended to put Bazoum on trial for treason. The move was strongly condemned by the US.

"We are incredibly dismayed by reports that President Bazoum's unjust detention has gone even a step further," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.