US military intervention in Niger

The US military intervention in Niger is the deployment of special operations forces and unmanned aerial vehicles by the United States in support of the Nigerien government and French military in counter-terrorism operations against militant groups in Niger as part of Operation Juniper Shield. The deployment of U.S. forces in Niger and in the greater West Africa region involves the training of host nation partner forces, enhancement of host nation security assistance efforts, and facilitates counter-terrorism and surveillance and reconnaissance missions in support of host nation partner forces. The U.S. has deployed drones from the Air Force and CIA in order to assist American and Nigerien forces in counter-terrorism operations, monitor routes used by militants in Niger into neighboring nations, and to assist ongoing operations in Libya.

The deployment of US troops in Niger had been largely unreported until an ambush outside the village of Tongo Tongo by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara militants left four American and four Nigerien soldiers dead. The ambush created controversy in the public and media with many people asking as to why the US had so many troops across Africa and specifically Niger which at the time had more than 800 US personnel in country. In 2018 the Trump Administration and the United States Africa Command laid out plans to withdraw around 25% of all US Military forces in Africa with around 10% withdrawing from West Africa so they could focus on threats from Russia and China while still remaining in the area.

In July 2023, the Nigerien coup d'état occurred, leading to the 2023 Nigerien crisis. In September 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will withdraw all 1,500 troops from Niger by the end of 2023, in the aftermath of the coup in the country. On 26 October 2023, the U.S. Senate rejected legislation that would have forced President Joe Biden to withdraw U.S. troops from Niger.