BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will end a military mission comprising dozens of soldiers in Niger at the end of June, it said on Monday, citing the junta-run nation's political situation.
Until a coup in 2023, Niger had been a partner of the West in Africa's Sahel region against militants who have killed thousands and displaced millions more.
However, the military rulers have pushed former colonial power France to remove its forces and agreed on the withdrawal of American troops, while deepening ties with Russia.
"The Council today decided to not extend the European Union military partnership mission in Niger (EUMPM) beyond 30 June 2024, in view of the grave current political situation in the country," it said.
Established in 2022, the mission in one of the world's poorest countries has some 50-100 European troops there to help with logistics and infrastructure.
(Reporting by John Irish and Sabine Siebold; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
