US orders partial evacuation of embassy in Niger following military takeover

The U.S. Department of State Wednesday ordered a temporary partial evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Niamey following the military takeover of Niger’s government last week. 

The State Department said all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members were ordered to depart from the embassy on Wednesday, noting the commercial flights are limited. 

The agency said the embassy will stay open for limited, emergency services for U.S. citizens. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday that U.S. leaders are “diplomatically engaged at the highest levels,” in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Military leaders supporting Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani last week took over the country’s democratically elected government and arrested Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum. Mutinous soldiers later declared Tchiani Niger’s head of state.

The Biden administration is holding back on calling the takeover a “coup,” as it maintains around $200 million of humanitarian and economic support in the country. The U.S. suspended military cooperation with the Nigerian forces, but has not indicated it will be evacuating the estimated 1,100 U.S. troops involved in counterterrorism, surveillance and intelligence gathering with Nigerian forces.

“The United States rejects all efforts to overturn Niger’s constitutional order, and stands with the people of Niger, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, and other international partners in support of democratic governance and respect for the rule of law and human rights,” the State Department wrote in a statement Wednesday. 

The European Union and countries including France, Germany and Italy suspended their assistance to the Nigerian government and encouraged citizens to take evacuation flights out of Niger. 

A statement from the State Department said U.S. citizens looking to depart Niger in need of assistance should submit an assistance request on the Department of State’s website.

–Updated on Aug. 3 at 5:39 a.m.