Russian military personnel have entered a Niger airbase that also hosts U.S. troops following the Nigerien junta’s order for U.S. forces to exit.
Reuters reported that a senior U.S. defence official, who preferred anonymity, stated that Russian forces are using a separate hangar at Airbase 101 in Niamey and avoiding contact with U.S. personnel.
The new development emerges amid heightened U.S. and Russia tensions, particularly over Ukraine. The proximity of the two nations’ forces in Niger raises strategic concerns and questions about the future of U.S. installations there.
Addressing the situation, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that Russian personnel do not have access to U.S. equipment or personnel, maintaining a separation that mitigates immediate risks to U.S. forces.
The situation in Niger is part of a broader pattern where U.S. and French forces have withdrawn from several African nations due to coups. These nations have increasingly turned to Russia, expanding its influence across Africa by promoting itself as a partner free from colonial history.
Niger has requested the U.S. to remove its troops following consultations that highlighted concerns about Russian and Iranian activities in Niger. The U.S. has begun repositioning its forces within Niger, moving some from Airbase 101 to Airbase 201 in Agadez.
Amid these developments, a two-star U.S. general is coordinating a structured withdrawal from Niger, with plans to relocate U.S. forces back to their bases under U.S. Africa Command in Germany.
