First on Fox – The head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) told Fox News Digital that the number of Islamic jihadist militants in Africa has increased tenfold. AFRICOM’s commander, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, sat down for an exclusive virtual interview with Fox News Digital on Sunday ahead of this week’s African Chiefs of Defense Conference in Gaborone, Botswana.
In a wide-ranging interview, Langley highlighted the threats from China, Russia and Iran and explained an apparent shift in US military policy, particularly in West Africa. Order of the Niger 1,000 American personnel should leave from there.
Regarding Islamic terrorism, the general said, “We have been monitoring and identifying signs and warnings for many years. For statistics, in 2008 only 4% of the Islamic jihadists on the global scene were on the African continent. Now that number has reached 40%. So, in executing AFRICOM’s mission of being able to provide signs and warnings, monitor and respond, it’s all about homeland security.”
He said AFRICOM is “charged with executing our mission, which extends to being able to deter threats, gain access and influence, and respond to crises on the African continent.”
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command, right, prepares for the African Chiefs of Defense Conference 2024 in Gaborone, Botswana, June 23, 2024. (Photo: Corporal Edesin Tobar)
Langley told Fox News Digital of particular concern over Chinese operations in Africa. “We see the threat of the People’s Republic of China, we know they exploit that whenever possible and use force when necessary, as they engage across the continent through the Belt and Road Initiative.”
“But sometimes they have aspirations of military capability and capability. They already have a base in Doraleh, Djibouti. Time will tell what their overall aspirations are. Will it be power projection, or air denial in defense? We don’t know. Right now, they say it’s to counter piracy. So we are keeping an eye all the time on what the PRC’s overall global intentions are in the strategic region.”
The AFRICOM commander turned his attention to Russia. “Yes, over the past few years, we have seen Wagner’s activities encroaching upon a number of African countries and then sowing seeds of disinformation, trying to become the preferred security partner in a number of countries from the Sahel to the Central African Republic and Libya in the north.”
The U.S. and Nigerien flags fly together over the base camp for Air Force and other personnel supporting the construction of Niger Air Base 201 in Agadez, Niger, April 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Carly Petesch)
“So through their disinformation campaigns, it has evolved into sponsorship of the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD),” the general added. Yevgeny PrigozhinSo we’re watching this and monitoring it very closely to figure out what the overall strategic imperatives or aspirations of the Russian Federation are.”
He believes Russia is using disinformation to strengthen its position in the African region and says this must be countered. “What the US needs to do is we need to step up our information campaign. We need to align that with our assurance operations, particularly a ‘whole of government’ approach, so that we can partner with our African partners, address some of their challenges, which range from climate change to violent extremist organizations, so that we have a holistic value proposition that we can leverage our shared values and shared objectives of stability and security.”
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command, right, in Gaborone, Botswana, June 23, 2024. (Photo: Corporal Edesin Tobar)
“I think our assurance actions and what we offer holistically, in the State Department and diplomacy, in USAID and development, in the Department of Defense and in partnerships and capacity building with other security forces, is the ultimate lasting solution, particularly when we’re talking about extremist organizations.”
When pressure was put on IranIran is said to be active in mining in countries as diverse as Niger and Sudan, but Langley said only that “we are closely monitoring Iran’s activities.” More recently, sources claimed Iran was exporting or arranging to export uranium from Niger. Uranium can be used to produce peaceful nuclear energy, but it is known to be a key component in the production of nuclear weapons.
Earlier this year, Niger’s pro-Russian military junta asked the US military to remove about 1,000 personnel from the country. The US has two air bases in the country, where manned and unmanned aircraft can target terrorist groups such as the United States. Boko Haram of Nigeria,
People stand near Russian and Nigerien flags as hundreds of coup supporters gather in front of the National Assembly in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on July 27, 2023. (Reuters/Balima Boureima)
After months of reportedly sometimes heated negotiations, the Pentagon has agreed that all U.S. personnel in the country will leave. “Regarding Niger, and redeploying and removing our equipment and assets there this year, we are on pace,” Langley said, adding, “I am confident we will continue to reach those benchmarks.”
A Department of Defense (DoD) official has confirmed to Fox News Digital that all US personnel will leave Base 101, located on the outskirts of Niger’s capital Niamey, by mid-July. The official said all Americans will leave the larger Base 201, located in Agadez, by September 15.
US to withdraw troops from Chad and Niger after African countries question counter-terrorism role
Al-Shabab fighters conduct military exercises in the Sukaholaha area of northern Mogadishu, Somalia, Sunday, September 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh, File)
In Niger, he stressed that “the safety of our troops is first and foremost.” Langley also hopes that there will be “a responsible, orderly withdrawal that both the U.S. government and the transitional government of the CNSP (Niger’s military junta) will agree to.”
On May 19, the Department of Defense confirmed in a statement that both the US and Niger “have established procedures to facilitate the entry and exit of US personnel, including takeoff and landing clearances for military flights.”
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command, testifies during a Senate Armed Services hearing, a Senate committee hearing to examine the status of United States Central Command and United States Africa Command, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, March 16, 2023. The U.S. military plans to return to Chad within a month to begin talks about revising an agreement that allows it to keep troops there, a U.S. general said Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Maryam Zuhaib)
When asked where US personnel and their manned aircraft and drones would go from Niger, he emphasized the change in policy. “As far as Air Base 201 or 101, you know that was based on the needs of the last decade.”
“As far as our strategy goes, we are now going to double down on security cooperation activities such as the Security Force Assistance Brigade, the State Partnership Program, or all the exercises we do for partnerships and capacity building.”
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (center) speaks during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (left) and Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo look on. Jan. 4, 2018. (Photo: Lintao Zhang/AFP via Getty Images)
Giving clear new details on the US military strategy for moving into Africa, Langley said, “As far as the overall adjustment of our strategy, our strategy will be overall in the Sahel, extending to West Africa, because it’s threat driven. We all know it’s going to be Africa led, so those are specified.”
This week Langley is in Botswana to attend the Africa Chiefs of Defense Conference. With about 35 countries participating, the US is co-hosting the event with Botswana. He said it “shows that this is going to be Africa-led and supported by the US, as we address the major challenges and security challenges across the continent, not just in the Sahel, but other places across the continent. I’m on a listening tour, but they’re going to make their recommendations and present them for discussion.”
