WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. troops ordered out of Niger by the nation’s junta will complete their withdrawal by mid-September, the Pentagon and Niger defense officials said Sunday.

The timeline was the product of four days of negotiation between the countries' defense officials, in Niamey.

Niger's decision to purge U.S. forces dealt a blow to military operations in the Sahel, where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.

The interruption in cooperation follow the July 2023 ouster of the country’s president. A few months later, the ruling junta asked France's forces to leave.

In October, Washington designated the military takeover as a coup, triggering U.S. laws restricting military support and aid.

About 1,000 U.S. troops remain in Niger, mostly on an airbase near Agadez, 550 miles away from the capital.

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