The last French soldiers deployed in Niger left the country on Friday morning, the Nigerien army announced during a ceremony in Niamey marking the end of their presence after ten years of French anti-jihadist combat in the Sahel.
"Today's date [...] marks the end of the process of French troops withdrawal in the Sahel," a Nigerien army lieutenant, Salim Ibrahim announced.
The withdrawal of the French contingent was completed on December 22, as originally planned.
Under the terms of the agreement reached in October between France and the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), Niger's military ruling body, established after the coup in late July, about 1,400 French soldiers were to leave Niger by the end of December.
Military cooperation with France has been ceased in Niger, Burkina Faso and in Mali, which used to be French colonies.