Niger

ADF STAFF Nigerien Chief of Staff of the Army Col. Maj. Mamane Sani Kiaou has worked closely with the United States military in recent months to arrange for the phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from the West African country. Kiaou and a…

ADF STAFF In a region facing terrorism, coups and transnational organized crime, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have long sought to build a standby force to bolster security. Member nations’ defense and…

ADF STAFF Among a handful of prisoners of war captured in Ukraine after fighting for Russia, a young Somali man stood out. He said he joined the army to give his family a “good future,” and was told he would be a “helper” doing logistics…

ADF STAFF Newly released video shows Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) fighters in Burkina Faso marching with weapons held aloft and lining up on motorcycles. Analysts say the display of force is evidence that the terror group…

ADF STAFF A few kilometers from the border between Turkey and Syria, at Al-Muksourah base in the Tel Abyad countryside, Turkish military officers supervised a training course meant to prepare its participants for operations in Niger.…

ADF STAFF U.S. and Nigerien officials have agreed on a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops and opened the door for future collaboration between the two countries on development and security issues. After five days of discussions,…

ADF STAFF The United States and Niger are continuing negotiations for the withdrawal of approximately 1,000 U.S. troops located at two air bases in the Sahelian nation. After announcing at the end of April the intention to withdraw all…

ADF STAFF The W National Park is an 8,000-square-kilometer nature preserve that straddles the borders of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. It is home to an abundance of wildlife, including aardvark, baboon, endangered cheetah, African bush…

ADF STAFF The Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) has in the last year gained significant territory from a rival group in Mali, increased religious tax collections known as zakat, and expanded recruitment efforts throughout the Sahel.…

ADF STAFF Civilians in the Sahel’s tri-border region are caught in the crosshairs of violence perpetrated by rival terrorist groups. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which is affiliated with al-Qaida, and the Islamic State…