Seven soldiers have been killed in Niger’s southwest in an attack by suspected rebels. The deaths on Thursday come as former colonial power France prepares to withdraw a counterinsurgency force stationed in the country at the request of its new military leaders, who seized power in a coup two months ago. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the pullout would be completed by the end of the year, while alleging that the country’s post-coup authorities “no longer wanted to fight against terrorism”. The United States, which has about 1,100 military personnel in Niger, has said it will “evaluate” its future steps following France’s announcement that its troops would withdraw.

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