Niger's junta has broken its military pact with the United States, calling American presence in the country "illegal".
The ruling Nigerien government announced on Saturday it canceled a 2012 military cooperation agreement with the US.
“The government of Niger, considering the aspirations and interests of its people, responsibly decides to denounce with immediate effect the agreement” that permitted US military personnel and civilian employees from the American Department of Defense on Niger’s territory, the government spokesman Amadou Abdramane said in a statement aired on national television.
The cancellation of the military pact between the two countries follows a visit to Niamey earlier this week by a delegation of senior US military officials led by the Under Secretary of State for African Affairs.