Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, DC, said the developments in Niger were of great concern to the US and its allies.
“The US has two drone bases in Niger. They also have about 800 troops, some of whom are understood to be special forces who have been training the Nigerian military,” said Hanna.
“Essentially, Niger is the last US ally left standing in that particular region of the world. Governments in neighbouring Mali [and] Burkina Faso have been toppled in military coups, and both of these countries have expelled the French soldiers who were there and have turned to Russian-backed forces for protection. So this is something that the US knows and has been watching with great concern, and that this could possibly be the next step in what is happening in Niger,” he added.
