On Friday, the German military completed its withdrawal from an airbase in Niger, ending its operations in the country. The final troops returned home, concluding their mission in the volatile Sahel region.
An interim agreement reached in late May had permitted German forces to use the Niamey airbase until the end of August. However, failed negotiations to extend this agreement were largely due to the withdrawal of legal immunity for the personnel stationed there.
Joint statements from senior military officials of both nations confirmed the withdrawal but emphasized that military cooperation between the two countries will continue.
Five cargo planes, transporting 60 German soldiers and 146 tons of equipment, landed at Wunsdorf airbase at approximately 6:30 pm local time (1630 GMT), where they were met by the state secretary for defense.
Germany had operated the base in Niger since February 2016, when it housed around 3,200 personnel.
Following a coup in July 2023 that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger has been governed by a military junta. This new regime has shifted its alliances away from Western nations, such as France and the United States, towards Russia and Iran, a trend also seen in neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso, which are similarly ruled by military leaders and facing jihadist threats.