After a military junta seized power in the West African nation of Niger last week, the US is partially withdrawing its embassy from there, Financial Times is reporting.
The coup d’etat has also drawn threats from neighbours of the country to use force to restore constitutional order.
US state department ordered non-emergency employees and their families to leave on Wednesday, a move that could portend a worsening of the security situation.
It highlights the difficulties Washington faces in responding to the military coup in a nation that has been a crucial US regional ally.
The new junta in Niger was threatened with military action over the weekend by a group of West African politicians led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu if the democratically elected government had not been reinstated within seven days.
The US, France, EU, and the UK denounced the takeover and cut off aid to the nation.
A delegation from the regional bloc travelled to Niamey on Wednesday as part of efforts to mediate a resolution to the conflict.
On Wednesday, defence chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States began a two-day conference in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
Nigeria turned off energy to a nation that it supplies more than 70% of the power to in an effort to put additional pressure on the Niger junta.
