The bill passed with a resounding majority in Niger’s parliament, clearing the path for additional European soldiers to be deployed but without specifying how many.
Niger senators adopted a bill on Friday that allows additional European special troops to be sent to assist in combat a jihadist insurgency in the Sahel, despite opposition from several parties that oppose Western military presence. President Mohamed Bazoum agreed in February to host special forces from neighboring Mali as France withdraws soldiers stationed there since 2013 to assist in the battle against Islamist extremists who have subsequently moved from Mali’s desert north. Due to worsening ties with Mali’s governing military junta, some 2,400 French soldiers and 900 special forces in the French-led Takuba force are scheduled to withdraw in the next months.
