France Withdraws Troops and Closes Embassy in Niger Amid Political Turmoil

The last French troops deployed in Niger have left, marking the end of over a decade of French anti-jihadist operations in the Sahel region. This follows the demand from Niger's ruling generals for the French forces to depart after a coup in July. While France has withdrawn its troops, there are still hundreds of US military personnel, as well as Italian and German troops, remaining in Niger. The withdrawal comes amidst a series of coups in the region, straining relations between former colonial power France and the Sahel nations.