The US military is reportedly repositioning some troops and equipment within Niger Republic.
Quoting U.S. officials on Thursday, KOKO TV NG said the Pentagon will withdraw a small number of non-essential personnel “out of an abundance of caution.”
This it said would be the first major American military movement in Niger Republic since a coup in July.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to say how many personnel would be departing and how many were repositioning within Niger from Air Base 101 in Niamey, Niger’s capital, to Air Base 201 in Agadez.
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Before this movement, there were 1,100 troops in the West African country.
KOKO TV NG had days ago reported that the military junta in the country announced the reopening of the country’s airspace to all commercial flights nearly after a month of its closure.
The country’s transport ministry spokesperson on Monday reportedly announced the reopening of the airspace which was closed on August 6.
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The Niger Republic military leaders who ousted the country’s elected President Mohamed Bazoum in a bloodless coup on July 26 and took over constitutional power, on August 6 closed the country’s airspace, forcing Air France and other European carriers to suspend some flights and take longer routes across the African continent.
The Niger junta had closed the airspace citing the threat of military intervention from the West African regional bloc – the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
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