Pentagon says surveillance flights, not counterterrorism ops, have restarted in Niger

By TARA COPP
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says it has not restarted counterterrorism operations in Niger, a day after the head of U.S. airpower for Europe and Africa said those flights had resumed. Responding to a question from The Associated Press at a security conference on Wednesday, Gen. James Hecker said the U.S. military has been able to resume some manned aircraft and drone counterterrorism operations in Niger. But the Pentagon issued a statement Thursday saying those missions are only for protecting forces and not the more sensitive, and broader, counterterrorism operations U.S. forces have successfully run with the Nigerien military in the past.