Two U.S. officials have told VOA that military drone flights from bases in Niger have been "limited" since the July coup, a restriction experts believe is likely hindering the international counterterrorism mission in West Africa.
Pentagon — Two U.S. officials have told VOA that military drone flights from bases in Niger have been"limited" since the July coup, a restriction experts believe is likely hindering the international counterterrorism mission in West Africa.
Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder has conceded to reporters that the situation in Niger"clearly" is"not normal" for the U.S. military, while adding that U.S. force posture in Niger remains unchanged, as the U.S. hopes for a diplomatic solution to the situation. The United States"is barely keeping a lid on this problem, and when you remove that, when you remove all of those enablers that help keep these jihadists from overrunning countries or overrunning regions, then you are giving them an advantage," said Bill Roggio, a former soldier and editor of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Long War Journal, which publishes reporting and analysis of global counterterrorism efforts.
The jihadist threat is twofold, not only can jihadists use these countries as a hub to try to attack the West and Western interests, they also wreak havoc on local populations.
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