{"id":64489,"date":"2023-08-18T22:27:41","date_gmt":"2023-08-18T22:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/08\/18\/us-readying-plans-to-evacuate-drone-bases-in-niger-if-necessary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:16:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:16:15","slug":"us-readying-plans-to-evacuate-drone-bases-in-niger-if-necessary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2023\/08\/18\/us-readying-plans-to-evacuate-drone-bases-in-niger-if-necessary\/","title":{"rendered":"US readying plans to evacuate drone bases in Niger if necessary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. is making precautionary plans to evacuate two key drone and counter-terror bases in Niger if that becomes necessary under the West African nation\u2019s new ruling junta, the Air Force commander for Africa said Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That planning includes looking for U.S.-allied nations in the Saharan and Sahel regions, some of the world\u2019s most active areas for al-Qaida- and Islamic State-allied extremist groups, \u201cthat we could maybe partner up with, and then move our assets there,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/08\/18\/ukraine-war-prompts-new-us-air-tactics-in-europe\/\" target=\"_blank\">Air Force Gen. James Hecker<\/a> told reporters in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hecker stressed that there had been no decision from the Biden administration regarding whether the Niger military\u2019s July 26 overthrow of the country\u2019s democratically elected president would compel U.S. diplomats or security forces to leave the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/08\/18\/ukraine-war-prompts-new-us-air-tactics-in-europe\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nato.jpg_67904b.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Ukraine war prompts new US air tactics in Europe<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Countering anti-access, area-denial capabilities has become U.S. Air Forces in Europe boss Gen. James Hecker&#039;s top priority.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. bases there have been vital counter-terror posts in an unstable region that is seeing an increasing number of coups as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/pentagon\/2022\/03\/17\/africom-commander-warned-mali-about-the-wagner-group-it-didnt-work\/\" target=\"_blank\">encroachment by Russia\u2019s Wagner mercenary group<\/a>. The U.S. presence includes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/2022\/01\/13\/chief-bass-visited-airmen-in-niger-amid-ongoing-violence-in-africas-sahel\/\" target=\"_blank\">Air Base 101 in Niamey<\/a>, the capital, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2019\/11\/14\/this-obscure-costly-air-base-is-the-new-front-in-the-battle-against-violent-extremism\/\" target=\"_blank\">Air Base 201<\/a> in the remote city of Agadez on the southern edge of the Sahara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If U.S. forces do leave, either following a decision by the Biden administration that it cannot work with the mutinous soldiers now leading the country or because the junta orders them out, \u201cit obviously will have an effect\u201d on U.S. intelligence and counterterrorism efforts, Hecker said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5540\" height=\"3686\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71896\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg 5540w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,681 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1022 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230527396506.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1363 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5540px) 100vw, 5540px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, said the U.S. is making precautionary plans to evacuate two key drone and counter-terror bases in Niger if that becomes necessary under the West African nation\u2019s new ruling junta. (Eric Dietrich\/Air Force via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut of course what we hope for is that we have a peaceful diplomatic solution to this and we don\u2019t have to\u201d leave, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The head of Niger\u2019s presidential guard instigated the coup, and continues to confine President Mohamed Bazoum and his family in the presidential palace. U.S. diplomats say junta leaders have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/flashpoints\/2023\/08\/10\/niger-junta-warned-theyd-kill-deposed-president-officials-say\/\" target=\"_blank\">warned that Bazoum would be killed<\/a> if Niger\u2019s West African neighbors intervene militarily to restore Bazoum to power. Bazoum took office in 2021, in the coup-prone country\u2019s first peaceful and democratic transfer of power since independence from France in 1960.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. has yet to formally call what happened in Niger a coup. That designation could compel Washington to cut many of the military and security ties between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hecker said he believed it would be \u201cweeks or much longer\u201d before U.S. officials would announce <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2023\/08\/03\/marine-guards-remain-at-us-embassy-in-niger-amid-partial-evacuation\/\" target=\"_blank\">any kind of decision to evacuate<\/a>, if it does come to that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Niger had been one of a dwindling number of countries in West Africa\u2019s Sahara and Sahel regions neither ruled by a military-backed government nor aligned with Russian mercenaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4032\" height=\"3024\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-71898\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg 4032w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,1152 1536w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP23230530771422.jpg.jpg?resize=2048,1536 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 4032px) 100vw, 4032px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mohamed Toumba, one of the soldiers who ousted Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum, addresses supporters of Niger&#8217;s ruling junta in Niamey, Niger, on Aug. 6. (Sam Mednick\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hecker gave no details on what countries the U.S. was considering as an alternate West Africa counter-terror post, if Niger became unworkable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ve just started looking at that,\u201d he said. American military officials \u201cknow where we would like the base to be, but more of that\u2019s going to be diplomatic\u201d in terms of how it\u2019s decided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The precautionary planning for evacuation, Hecker said, included scenarios where the Americans are able to move out at leisure and also where they have to depart in a hurry, taking only the most sensitive materiel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gen. James Hecker stressed there has been no decision from the Biden administration as to whether the Niger military\u2019s July 26 coup requires evacuation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":71893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":10,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3222],"class_list":["post-64489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flashpoints"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"66TRC7PQ3JDCDPWZEI7P3HN2TU","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2023\/08\/18\/us-readying-plans-to-evacuate-drone-bases-in-niger-if-necessary\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>US readying plans to evacuate drone bases in Niger if necessary - Military Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gen. 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