US to Withdraw Troops from Chad in Wake of Niger Exit

Nigeriens gather to protest against the US military presence, in Agadez, Niger, April 21, 2024 (Reuters)
Nigeriens gather to protest against the US military presence, in Agadez, Niger, April 21, 2024 (Reuters)
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US to Withdraw Troops from Chad in Wake of Niger Exit

Nigeriens gather to protest against the US military presence, in Agadez, Niger, April 21, 2024 (Reuters)
Nigeriens gather to protest against the US military presence, in Agadez, Niger, April 21, 2024 (Reuters)

The Defense Department announced on Friday that the US will pull dozens of special forces soldiers from Chad, days after announcing it would also withdraw troops from neighboring Niger.

Pentagon spokesperson Major General Patrick Ryder said a portion of the US troops in Chad would reposition out of the country.

He said it was a “temporary step” as part of an ongoing review of security cooperation with Chad, which would resume after the country's May 6 presidential election.

The US military is maintaining about 100 soldiers stationed in Chad to serve the strategy of dealing with extremist armed groups in the Sahel region.

In the letter dated April 4 to Chad's minister of armed forces, Air Force Chief of Staff Idriss Amine Ahmed said he had told the US defense attache to halt US activities at Adji Kossei Air Base after “Americans” had failed to provide documents justifying their presence there.

Chadian government spokesman Abderaman Koulamallah said the presence of US troops in the country stems from a shared commitment to combat terrorism. But, he added, “concerns have arisen from the army's General Staff about such presence.”

Koulamallah said, “The US government decided to temporarily withdraw troops from Chad to acknowledge this concern.”

He affirmed that the US move does not represent a severance of cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.

Chad is the second country in Africa where the US announced the withdrawal of its troops, after neighboring Niger.

US political and diplomatic efforts have failed to come up with a form of security cooperation with the military authorities, currently ruling in Niger.

The US State Department announced that discussions have begun this week and will continue next week between the two sides for the orderly withdrawal of US forces from the country.

The US military has hundreds of troops stationed at a major airbase in northern Niger to fight terrorism in the Sahel region.

Niger's ruling junta, which ousted the democratically elected government in July 2023, announced its decision last month to immediately revoke a 2012 military cooperation deal with the US following contentious meetings between high-level officials on both sides in Niamey.

Spokesperson for Niger's junta, Col. Amadou Abdramane, justified his country’s decision to revoke the military cooperation deal, accusing the US of “condescending attitude combined with the threat of reprisals against the people of Niger.”



Russia Warns US, South Korea and Japan against Forming Security Alliance Targeting North Korea

Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post-Ministerial Conference during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post-Ministerial Conference during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
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Russia Warns US, South Korea and Japan against Forming Security Alliance Targeting North Korea

Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post-Ministerial Conference during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov attends the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post-Ministerial Conference during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting and related meetings at the Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Thursday, July 10, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/Pool Photo via AP)

Russia’s foreign minister on Saturday warned the US, South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country's ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew to North Korea’s eastern Wonsan city on Friday for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui, The Associated Press.

Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunitions to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, the US and others that Russia might also transfer to North Korea sensitive technologies that can increase the danger of its nuclear and missile programs.

After a meeting with Choe on Saturday, Lavrov accused the US, South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea.

“We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia,” he told reporters, according to Russia’s state Tass news agency.

The US, South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving US nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security.

North Korea views major US-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it’s forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from US military threats.

Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea’s decision to seek nuclear weapons.

“The technologies used by North Korea are the result of the work of its own scientists. We respect North Korea’s aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development,” Lavrov said.

During their meeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea “unconditionally” supports Russia’s fight against Ukraine. She described ties between North Korea and Russia as “the invincible alliance.”

Lavrov said he repeated Russia’s gratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region.

Wonsan city, the meeting venue, is where North Korea recently opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people.

In his comments at the start of his meeting with Choe, Lavrov said that “I am sure that Russian tourists will be increasingly eager to come here. We will do everything we can to facilitate this, creating conditions for this, including air travel,” according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone is at the center of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s push to boost tourism as a way to improve his country’s troubled economy. But prospects for the biggest tourist complex in North Korea aren’t clear, as the country appears unlikely to fully reopen its borders and embrace Western tourists anytime soon.