(December 22, 2025)

Karr said the operation was an early sign the U.S. was rebuilding its capacity in the region after Niger ordered U.S. troops to leave a sprawling, newly built air base in the desert last year, and turned instead to Russia for security assistance.
„In recent weeks we‘ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria,“ Karr said in an interview.

A former U.S. official said the aircraft is among several assets the Trump administration moved to Ghana in November.