The US is cutting hundreds of troops in Africa as it focuses on countering threats from Russia and China.
Around 700 counter-terrorism troops will be removed over the next few years, the Department of Defense said.
About 7,200 US soldiers are currently based in dozens of African countries including Nigeria and Libya.
There will now be a shift away from tactical assistance to advising and sharing intelligence in West Africa, the Pentagon said.
However, counter-terrorism activities in several countries including Somalia and Djibouti will remain largely the same.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to Reuters, said the reduction of troops would likely take place over three years and could include countries such as Kenya, Cameroon and Mali.
Pentagon spokeswoman Candice Tresch said: “We will realign our counter-terrorism resources and forces operating in Africa over the next several years in order to maintain a competitive posture worldwide.”
A military official said an attack in Niger in October 2017 in which four US troops were killed did not play a role in the decision to cut troops, the Voice of America reports.
The move comes as US President Donald Trump works to implement his National Defense Strategy, which ushers in a new era of “Great Power competition” with Moscow and Beijing.
On Wednesday, a bipartisan congressional panel reviewing the strategy said America's focus on counter-insurgency operations had weakened its…
