No final decision on withdrawing US troops from Niger and Chad, top official tells AP

By TARA COPP
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — A top U.S. military official says there’s been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad. Niger’s ruling junta ended an agreement last month that allows U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. Joint Chiefs Vice Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Chad also has questioned its agreement that allows the U.S. to conduct critical counterterrorism operations within its borders. Grady says that if both countries ultimately decide the U.S. cannot remain, the military will have to look for alternatives to run counterterrorism missions across the vast Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert.