U.S. drones over Niger
The Air Force’s new presence in West Africa that began in late February has around 100 airmen deployed to Niamey, the southwestern region of Niger. - The airmen “provide support for intelligence collection and will also facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations in Mali, and with other partners in the region,” President Obama wrote in a Feb. 22 letter to Congress. Included is a team of Air Force Security Forces to protect U.S. resources, personnel and interests in the region, all with Niger’s authorization, said Africa Command spokesman Thomas Sanders. The deployment [allegedly] is an effort “to promote regional stability.”
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