American and Nigerien defense officials say U.S. troops ordered out of Niger by its ruling junta will complete their withdrawal from the West African country by the middle of September

The agreement will spell the end of a U.S. troop presence that totaled more than 1,000 and throw into question the status of a $110 million U.S. air base that is only six years old.

Officials in Nigeria say 137 of nearly 300 schoolchildren have been released more than two weeks after they were seized in the northwestern state of Kaduna and marched into the forests

Following the coup last year, the United States largely suspended military aid to Niger, with activity at the base limited to surveillance for protection of U.S. forces.

The move further escalates the international crisis in the West African nation stemming from a coup that ousted the West African nation’s democratically elected president.

The junta responsible for spearheading the coup, led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, has exploited anti-French sentiment among the population to shore up its support.