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Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger where U.S. troops are stationed, according to a senior U.S. defense official. This development comes after Niger's junta decided to expel U.S. forces from the country.
The ruling military officers in Niger have demanded the withdrawal of nearly 1,000 U.S. military personnel from the country. Niger was a crucial partner for the U.S. in its fight against insurgents until a coup last year.
A senior U.S. defense official, speaking anonymously, stated that Russian forces are not interacting with U.S. troops but are using a separate hangar at Airbase 101, located next to Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger's capital. This move, first reported by Reuters, brings U.S. and Russian troops into close proximity amid increasing acrimony between the two countries over the conflict in Ukraine.
The situation raises questions about the future of U.S. installations in Niger after the withdrawal. The official mentioned, "The situation is not ideal, but in the short term, it is manageable."
In response to the Reuters report, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin downplayed any risk to American troops or the possibility of Russian troops accessing U.S. military equipment. Austin stated at a press conference in Honolulu, "The Russians are in a separate compound and don't have access to U.S. forces or our equipment... Right now, I don't see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection."
The Nigerien and Russian embassies in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Following coups that installed governments distancing themselves from Western nations, the U.S. and its allies have had to withdraw troops from several African countries. Alongside the planned departure from Niger, U.S. troops have recently left Chad, while French forces have been expelled from Mali and Burkina Faso. Simultaneously, Russia is seeking to strengthen ties with African nations, presenting itself as a friendly country without colonial history on the continent.
Mali has become one of Russia's closest African allies, with the Wagner Group mercenary force deployed there to combat jihadist insurgents.
Russia has described its relations with the United States as "below zero" due to U.S. military and financial support for Ukraine in its efforts against invading Russian forces.
The U.S. official mentioned that Nigerien authorities informed President Joe Biden's administration about the presence of about 60 Russian military personnel in Niger, but the official could not confirm this number.
After the coup, the U.S. military relocated some of its forces from Airbase 101 to Airbase 201 in the city of Agadez. It is unclear what U.S. military equipment remains at Airbase 101. The United States constructed Airbase 201 in central Niger at a cost exceeding $100 million, using it since 2018 to target Islamic State and al Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) fighters with armed drones.
Washington is concerned that without the presence of U.S. forces and intelligence capabilities, Islamic militants in the Sahel region may expand.
Niger's decision to request the removal of U.S. troops followed a mid-March meeting in Niamey, where senior U.S. officials expressed concerns about the expected arrival of Russian forces and reports of Iran seeking raw materials, including uranium, in the country.
Although the U.S. message to Nigerien officials was not an ultimatum, it made clear that U.S. forces could not coexist on a base with Russian forces. "They did not take that well," the official said. A two-star U.S. general has been dispatched to Niger to facilitate a professional and responsible withdrawal.
While no decisions have been made regarding the future of U.S. troops in Niger, the official stated that the plan is for them to return to U.S. Africa Command's home bases in Germany.