The United States has begun to reposition its troops in Niger, the scene of a coup d’état at the end of July, as a precautionary measure, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
“There is no threat to American troops and no threat of violence on the ground,” said Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh during a news conference at the Pentagon. “This is simply a precautionary measure.”
Pentagon officials said that the U.S. Africa Command ordered the shifting of some of its personnel and assets from Airport 101 near the capital of Niamey to Airport 201 in Agadez. Singh added that the U.S. force posture hasn’t changed. Agadez is around 920 kilometers by road from Niamey.
The U.S. forces are in Niger under a mission to help Nigerian military forces combat terrorism and develop military capabilities, but all actions were halted when military officials took over the government in July, in what the U.S. deems a coup d’etat against an elected president.
The military coup in Niamey has displaced around 1,100 U.S. personnel in Niger. According to Singh, U.S. authorities hope that the situation in Niger can be resolved without military intervention or violence.
“We’re hopeful that there can be some diplomatic way to resolve what’s happening,” she said. “We’re certainly not supportive of military takeovers of a democratically elected leader or government.”
A group of Nigerien soldiers chaired by Colonel Amadou Abdramane announced a coup d’état, declaring that they had dissolved the constitution and suspended all institutions.