The arrangement, which has not been publicly announced, reflects an expanding US military campaign against faceless myrmidons in Africa and is based on a recently signed US-Nigerien memorandum of understanding. It was first reported by the New York Times
...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize...
The US official said armed drone flights could begin as early as next week or at least by the end of December. The memorandum of understanding limits the drones to defensive missions, the official said. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and so spoke on condition of anonymity.