How the tried coup in Niger may develop the attain of extremism, and Wagner, in West Africa

Niger is to not be confused with Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. Niger lies simply to the north, a part of the sprawling area instantly beneath the Sahara Desert that for years has confronted a rising menace from varied teams of Islamic extremists.

Until Wednesday’s coup try in Niger, the United States’ safety ally had averted the army takeovers that destabilized West African neighbors lately, and it was seen because the final main companion standing in a Francophone area the place anti-French sentiment had grown.

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Signaling Niger’s significance within the area the place the Russian non-public army group Wagner additionally operates, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the nation in March to strengthen ties and announce $150 million in direct help, calling the nation “a model of democracy.”

Now a crucial query is whether or not Niger will pivot and interact Wagner as a counterterrorism companion like its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, which have kicked out French forces. France shifted greater than 1,000 forces to Niger after pulling out of Mali final yr.

Niger has been a base of worldwide army operations for years as Islamic extremists have significantly expanded their attain within the Sahel. Those embody Boko Haram in neighboring Nigeria and Chad, however the extra speedy menace comes from rising exercise in Niger’s border areas with Mali and Burkina Faso from the Islamic State within the Greater Sahara and the al-Qaida affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, referred to as JNIM.

U.S. companions battling extremists within the Sahel are dwindling. Notably, Mali’s army junta final month ordered the 15,000-strong United Nations peacekeeping mission there to depart, claiming they’d failed of their mission. Now Wagner forces stay there, accused by watchdogs of human rights atrocities.

The United States in early 2021 stated it had supplied Niger with greater than $500 million in army help and coaching applications since 2012, one of many largest such help applications in sub-Saharan Africa.

Notably in Niger, the U.S. has operated drones out of a base it constructed within the nation’s distant north as a part of counterterrorism efforts within the huge Sahel. The destiny of that base and different U.S. operational websites within the nation after this week’s tried coup isn’t instantly identified. The U.S. Africa Command has not commented.

Niger was the location of one of many deadliest encounters for U.S. forces in Africa lately, an ambush by extremists in 2017 that left 4 troopers useless. The assault once more raised questions by some critics in Washington about why the U.S. can be concerned on the continent.

Observers say West Africa’s Sahel area has change into one of many world’s deadliest areas for extremism. West Africa recorded over 1,800 extremist assaults within the first six months of this yr leading to practically 4,600 deaths, a prime regional official advised the United Nations Security Council this week.

Of these deaths, most occurred in Burkina Faso and Mali and simply 77 occurred in Niger, stated the official, Omar Touray, the president of the ECOWAS Commission. Observers have warned that the extremist menace can be increasing south towards states like Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The coup try in Niger brings but extra insecurity to the area at massive. It additionally brings new challenges to one of many world’s poorest nations that additionally struggles with drought and migrants from throughout West Africa attempting to make their method throughout the Sahara and into northern Africa en route towards Europe.