U.S. State Department Orders Evacuation of Personnel from Niger

(MENAFN) The U.S. State Department issued an emergency directive Friday mandating the departure of non-essential government personnel and their families from Niger, citing mounting security threats across the West African nation.

Authorities escalated the travel warning to its highest level, explicitly prohibiting American citizens from entering the country. "The U.S. government cannot offer routine or emergency services to U.S. citizens outside of Niamey due to safety risks. Do not travel to Niger for any reason," the advisory declared, pointing to compounding dangers including criminal activity, political volatility, extremist violence, public health emergencies, and abduction threats.

The directive imposes strict security protocols on remaining American officials stationed in Niger, requiring armored vehicle transport for all transit and enforcement of a compulsory curfew.

The evacuation order comes as Niger confronts intensifying militant activity from terror organizations including JNIM and ISIS (Daesh), which have launched repeated assaults resulting in civilian deaths and mass population displacement, with violence heavily concentrated throughout the nation's western territories.

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