All US soldiers are set to leave Niger after the country’s government ended its military partnership with America. 

On Friday the US also announced that it had agreed to close down its drone base near Agadez, in the Sahara desert. 

The US has relied on Niger as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity.

An American delegation is to head within days to Niger’s capital, Niamey, to arrange an orderly withdrawal of its more than 1,000 troops.

The US’s $100m (£80m) military base there was built just six years ago, and has played a key role in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa. 

But Niger’s relations soured with both Western countries last year following the coup and the military leaders have sought closer security ties with Russia.

Dozens of Russian military instructors have arrived in Niger in recent weeks, bringing with them a state-of-the-art air defence system, according to state media reports.

(BBC)