US forces have officially begun withdrawing from Niger
Tracking the movements
US troops wait in front of a C-17A at Niamey for boarding. ©US Embassy Niamey
(1) The first C-17A
According to the US Africa Command [1] the withdrawal “began with the departure of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Air Base 101 in Niamey on June 7, 2024.”
USAF Flight RCH132 Sigonella-Niamey-Sigonella - Screenshot: FlightRadar24
According to tracks on FlightRadar24 [2] we can see that a USAF C-17A with registration 01-0186 (AE10B5) took off on Friday, June 7 at around 14:00 (UTC time) from Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy and went dark before entering Algerian mainland, before heading down to Niamey. The next day, early at around 01:38 UTC, the C-17A appeared again after leaving Algerian mainland.
(2) Niamey: Equipment ready for loading
A video circulating on X (Twitter) [3] and Telegram shows US military equipment parked for loading at Air Base 101 at Niamey Airport. We can also see the tracked C-17A with reg. 01-0186 parked there and soldiers who get on board. News outlet RFI is citing a statement [4] of the US and Nigerien Government, “that more than 269 of the 946 soldiers had already left the country.”
(3) Bases in Ouallam and Diffa apparently still manned
Partial map of Niger with AB 101 Niamey, AB 201 Agadez and posts in Ouallam and Diffa marked. - ©Mapcarta
The RFI article also claims that there are still US soldiers “stationed in the towns of Ouallam and Diffa.” Some years ago US special forces operated together with Nigerien forces from Ouallam in the tri-border area especially near Mali’s border. The four US special forces from 3rd Special Forces Group that were killed in an Islamic State Greater Sahel (ISGS or today ISSP for Sahel Province[5]) ambush 2017 near Tongo Tongo were based in Ouallam. On the other side of the country, US forces assisted in the fight against Boko Haram [6] and Islamic State West Africa Province [7] (ISWAP). Equipment in Ouallam must be brought to Niamey by land. There is no airport, only a heliport outside the city, which is under US control. However, only two civilian Airbus H225 helicopters from a contractor are available, which primarily transport troops.
(4) More flights this weekend
Since Friday there have been at least three more C-17A flights in and out of Niger.
June 7, 2024:
RCH132 - Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy to AB101 Niamey and back
C-17A reg. 01-0186 | AE10B5
June 8, 2024:
RCH555 - Naval Station Rota, Spain via Espargos, Cape, Verde
to AB101 Niamey and left later for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH725 - Ramstein Air Base directly to AB201 Agadez
and left later for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 06-6166 | AE1464
RCH556 - Naval Station Rota, Spain via Espargos, Cape, Verde to AB101 Niamey and left later for Espoargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
June 9, 2024
RCH681 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Niamey
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 07-7176 | AE146E
June 10, 2024
RCH593 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C17-A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
June 12, 2024
RCH220 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C17-A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
June 13, 2024
RCH609 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and back to Rota.
C17-A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH805 - Air Base Ramstein, Germany to AB201 Agadez
and left for Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 01-0186 | AE10B5
June 14, 2024
RCH332 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez,
returned later the same day.
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
RCH825 - Ramstein Air Base to AB201 Agadez
and left for Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 06-6168 | AE1466
June 15, 2024
RCH605 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
RCH801 - Ramstein Air Base to AB201 Agadez
and left for Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 06-6165 | AE1463
RCH221 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
June 16, 2024
RCH6001 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH6002 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7176 | AE146E
RCH6003 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
June 17, 2024
RCH312 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later to Rota.
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
June 20, 2024
RCH6004 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
June 21, 2024
RCH6007 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Sigonella.
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH6006 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH223 - Camp Springs Joint Base Andrews to Espargos, Cape Verde to AB201 Agadez and later directly to Ramstein Air Base, Germany
June 22, 2024
RCH6009 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH248 - Naval Air Station Sigonella to AB 101 Niamey
and later back to Sigonella.
C-17A reg. 90-0535 | AE07D4
RCH6008 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
June 23, 2024
RCH223 - Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay to AB201 Agadez
and back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 04-4132 | AE123D
June 24, 2024
RCH6010 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH6011 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
June 25, 2024
RCH6171 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH6051 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later to Rota.
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
June 26, 2024
RCH229 - Ramstein Air Base, Germany to AB201 Agadez
and later back to Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 01-0186 | AE10B5
RCH6145 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
RCH6005 - Ramstein Air Base, Germany to AB101 Niamey
and left for Espargos, Cape Verde.
C-17A reg. 04-4129 | AE1239
June 27, 2024
RCH6105 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH6001 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to there.
C-17A reg. 07-7174 | AE146C
June 28, 2024
RCH6070 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to there.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
June 29, 2024
RCH6002 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH6003 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH229 - Ramstein Air Base, Germany to ?
and later back to Chania, Greece
C-17A reg. 01-0186 | AE10B5
June 30, 2024
RCH6012 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Sigonella, Italy
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
July 01, 2024
RCH6035 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7175 | AE146D
RCH6020 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
July 02, 2024
RCH6040 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
RCH6066 - Naval Station Rota to ?
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH6125 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
July 03, 2024
RCH6008 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
RCH6120 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7176 | AE146E
RCH6004 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 07-7176 | AE146E
July 04, 2024
RCH6188 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
RCH6055 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
July 05, 2024
RCH6063 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 09-9206 | AE49C2
RCH6006 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey and later AB201 Agadez
and later back to Rota.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
RCH6007 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 08-8192 | AE2FA4
RCH6025 - Ramstein Air Base, Germany to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Espargos, Cape Verde.
C-17A reg. 06-6167 | AE1465
June 06, 2024
RCH6065 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 07-7176 | AE146E
RCH6085 - Naval Station Rota to AB201 Agadez
and later back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 06-6165 | AE1463
RCH6041 - Naval Station Rota to AB101 Niamey
and later back to Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
C-17A reg. 00-0177 | AE0813
RCH620 - NAS Sigonella, Italy to AB101 Niamey
and later back to -?-
Last updated 06/07/2024 18:40 CEST
Links
[1] https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/35500/joint-statement-from-the-us-department-of-defense-and-the-department-of-national-defense-o
[2] https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/01-0186#35918be8
[3] https://x.com/Dachronica/status/1799746985827975661
[4] https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20240608-niger-le-retrait-des-troupes-et-%C3%A9quipements-am%C3%A9ricains-a-d%C3%A9but%C3%A9
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_%E2%80%93_Sahil_Province
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boko_Haram
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_State_%E2%80%93_West_Africa_Province