German soldiers deployed in Niger have officially ended their mission, the Nigerien army announced on Friday. This development marks a significant shift in international military presence in the West African country.
In a joint statement released today, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Niger and the Ministry of Defense of the Federal Republic of Germany confirmed the completion of the withdrawal. The operation concluded with the closure of the German facility at Air Base 101 in Niamey.
Colonel-Major Mamane Sani Kiaou of the Nigerien army, along with German Colonel Karsten Struss, detailed that five cargo flights were used to repatriate 60 German military personnel and 146 tons of equipment to Germany. The operation was described as having been conducted “safely,” attributed to excellent coordination between Nigerien and German armed forces.
Despite the withdrawal, the two nations have pledged to continue their military cooperation. The recent pullout follows an announcement in early July from the German Ministry of Defense, which had already declared the end of this cooperative mission with Niger.
This withdrawal comes on the heels of the departure of French soldiers from Niger at the end of 2023 and the upcoming planned exit of American troops by September 15.
Germany had initially announced on July 6 its intention to cease operations at its air transport base in Niger and complete the withdrawal of its troops by August 31.
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