Soldiers in Niger declared a military coup on Wednesday, overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum. The landlocked nation, a key U.S. ally in the region, has received millions in assistance from Washington.
The country, located in the semi-arid Sahel region, plays an outsized role in the United States' Africa strategy. Most importantly, it is a key partner for Washington's fight against Islamist insurgents who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. U.S. military personnel have been training local forces to fight militant groups.
Groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have carried out dozens of attacks in southwestern Niger, including some that have killed dozens of Nigerien soldiers, but the violence has not spread across the whole country as it has done elsewhere. A State Department official in March also praised Bazoum for speaking out against Russia's private Wagner group of mercenaries, which has been hired by Mali's junta to help fight insurgents there. Mali describes the Wagner personnel on its territory as trainers.
It is unclear how much the United States has given in security assistance specifically. The U.S. Embassy in Niamey in 2021 said the Pentagon and State Department had provided Niger more than $500 million in equipment and training since 2012.U.S.
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