Protests in northern Niger demand the departure of American forces from the country

Hundreds of people demonstrated on Sunday in Agadez in northern Niger to demand the departure of American forces from a large base in the city, noting that the United States agreed to the Niamey regime’s request to withdraw its soldiers.

The demonstrators gathered in response to the call of a coalition of 24 civil society associations supported by the military authority that seized power in a coup carried out on July 26, 2023.

The demonstrators carried the flags of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and Russia. A large banner was raised that read, "This is Agadez, not Washington. Let the American army leave."

This demonstration was held two days after Washington accepted the withdrawal of its estimated 1,000 soldiers from Niger, according to what American officials revealed to Agence France-Presse on the condition that their names not be disclosed.

An American delegation is expected to arrive in Niger in the coming days to agree on the details of the process of withdrawing soldiers.