US hopes to maintain some forces in Niger as talks on withdrawal continue, officials say

The US is trying to negotiate an agreement with the military junta that took over Niger last July to leave behind a small contingent of US forces, even as a broad withdrawal order has been issued to enable the departure of the majority of the less than 1,000 US troops in the West African nation, according to US officials.

While some US officials have started conversations with Niger about what the withdrawal will look like, the civilian head of US special operations told CNN this week that the Pentagon has yet to have more detailed conversations with Niger, which will largely focus more on logistics of the withdrawal.