Hommam Al Nassim 
The US military command in Africa said that Washington is looking for new allies in the region, including Libya, after the decision of the authorities in Niger not to welcome US forces.
“We are working through diplomatic means as well as defense means with Libya,” Marine Corps Commandant General Michael Langley said during a press conference ahead of the 2024 African Chiefs of Defense Conference in Gaborone, Botswana.
After Langley’s statements regarding increased engagement with Libya, a defense official told Task & Purpose that the United States has no forces in Libya and has no plans to deploy forces there soon.
This statement comes after the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of American forces from Niger, where the United States had about 1,000 soldiers, defense contractors, and two air bases (Air Base 101 and Air Base 201).
General Charles Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, indicated that the United States is seeking to establish new partnerships with other countries in West Africa to fill the void that the withdrawal from Niger will leave.
The process of withdrawing American forces from Niger began on June 8, after reaching an agreement on withdrawal in mid-May, and the American contingent is expected to leave the country by September 15 of this year.
Last March, Niger ended a military agreement with the United States, which had been concluded to establish an American base for drones in the north of the country. The Nigerian authorities stated that the agreement was imposed and did not meet the interests of the people.
Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Al-Amin Zein had explained in a previous interview with the Washington Post that his country had decided to stop military cooperation with the United States due to “threats” made by American officials.
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