Germany ends military operations in Niger Republic

The German army on Friday vacated an airbase in junta-run Niger, completing a withdrawal of Bundeswehr troops from the restive junta-run Sahel nation.

At the end of May, Germany and Niger reached an interim agreement allowing the German military to continue operating its airbase in the capital Niamey until the end of August.

But negotiations to extend that agreement broke down, notably because the base’s personnel would no longer benefit from immunity from prosecution.

Senior German and Nigerien military officials separately read out a joint statement announcing the completion of the withdrawal.

They said 60 German troops and 146 tonnes of equipment had been repatriated on five cargo planes.

“This withdrawal does not mark the end of military cooperation between Niger and Germany, in fact the two sides are committed to maintaining military relations,” they said.

Niger has been run by a military regime since a coup d’etat in July 2023 ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been held as a prisoner ever since.

The regime has turned its back on other Western allies such as France and the United States to turn towards Russia and Iran.

A similar shift has taken place in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, which are likewise ruled by military leaders and faced with violence from jihadist groups.