A report by Sputnik showed that on Wednesday, Niger's Interior Ministry stated that the United States had pledged to submit a plan for the "disengagement" of soldiers from the West African country after Niamey terminated its military agreement with Washington.
"There continue to be ongoing discussions at this time," Ryder said during a press briefing. "There's been no decisions made at this stage on the movement of US forces, and we're still working to get clarification from the CNSP [National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland] in that regard."
According to Niger's transitional government, the United States envoy added that Washington had taken notice of the country's decision to withdraw from the 2012 agreement that granted US military forces and civilian Pentagon staff to operate in Niger.
Earlier this month, Niger decided to terminate an arrangement with the USA involving the stationing of around 1,000 US military personnel in the country.
"The U.S. delegation was there to raise a number of concerns. ... We were troubled (about) the path that Niger is on. And so these were direct and frank conversations, to have those in person, to talk about our concerns and to also hear theirs. U.S. officials expressed concern over Niger's potential relationships with Russia and Iran." the Pentagon Spokesperson, Sabrina Singh stated.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, the spokesperson for Niger's junta, had relayed the immediate withdrawal of a military agreement that allowed US Department of Defense forces and civilian workers to operate in its country.
The Colonel claimed that the US delegation did not observe diplomatic protocol and that he was not told of the mission's makeup, arrival date, or agenda.
