US agrees to pull troops from key drone host Niger: officials

Protesters react as a man holds up a sign demanding U.S. Army soldiers leave Niger without negotiation during a demonstration in Niamey, on April 13, 2024. The U.S. will withdraw its troops from Niger, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday. [AFP Photo]

The United States agreed Friday to withdraw its more than 1,000 troops from Niger, officials said, upending its posture in West Africa where the country was home to a major drone base.

The long-expected move effectively marks a new regional gain for Russia, which has ramped up its focus on Africa and backed military regimes in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso.