The last contingent of French servicemen in Niger concluded their mission on the morning of December 22, as reported by the Nigerien military, according to the AFP news agency.
"Today's date marks the end of the French troops' stay in the Sahel," Lieutenant Salim Ibrahim of the Niger army stated.
The farewell ceremony took place at Niamey Air Base, where several French units were previously stationed.
The concluding ceremony included the signing of a joint document by Colonel Maman Sani Kiaw, Chief of Staff of the Niger Army, and General Eric Ozanne, commander of French troops in the Sahel. The signing occurred in the presence of Togo's Chief of General Staff and the US military attaché. The airbase was officially handed over to Niger's military for its use.
Ibrahim reported that the military withdrawal transpired without any major incidents. The decision to withdraw French troops was initiated following a mutiny by military officers from the presidential guard on July 26, resulting in the ouster of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum.
The subsequent authorities, led by the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, announced the termination of agreements with France regarding the deployment of a military contingent in Niger to combat extremist groups. In response to Niger's request, France commenced the withdrawal of its troops from the country on October 10. At that time, approximately 1.4 thousand French servicemen were present in Niger, with 1 thousand in the capital and another 400 in the west of the African country.
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Based on materials from TASS