Source: U.S. Africa Command. The Washington Post.
Drone Warfare: Niger Becomes Latest Frontline In US War On Terror -- The Guardian
Obama administration reliance on drones to fight al-Qaida and Islamic militants sees drones spread to Africa.
The newest outpost in the US government's empire of drone bases sits behind a razor-wire-topped wall outside this west African capital, blasted by 40C heat and the occasional sandstorm blowing from the Sahara.
The US air force began flying a handful of unarmed Predator drones from here last month. The grey, mosquito-shaped aircraft emerge sporadically from a borrowed hangar and soar north in search of al-Qaida fighters and guerrillas from other groups hiding in the region's deserts and hills.
The harsh terrain of north and west Africa is rapidly emerging as yet another front in the long-running US war against terrorist networks, a conflict that has fueled a revolution in drone warfare.
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Update: Drone base now functioning in Niger -- Big News Network
My Comment: Niger is surrounded by countries that are experiencing Al Qaeda related insurgencies .... with this as a backdrop the Niger government is probably hoping that a military/intelligence alliance with the U.S. will help to counter these militant groups.
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