Russia has sent troops into an air base in Niger that is hosting American soldiers, reports say, after the country’s ruling junta ordered all U.S. forces to leave the West African nation.
The situation at Air Base 101 in Niamey, the capital city, comes as relations between Washington, D.C. and Moscow are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It’s not clear how many American troops are on the base, but an unnamed U.S. official told the Associated Press that only a small number of U.S. forces remained.
The official also said the Russian troops had arrived last month after Niger told the U.S. to withdraw its almost 1,000 troops from the country. Before the junta seized power in a coup in July 2023, Niger had been an important partner in U.S. counterterror operations in the Sahel region of Africa where groups affiliated with ISIS and al Qaeda operate.
A senior U.S. defense official told Reuters that the Russian forces are not mingling with the American troops at the base, but were instead using a separate hangar. The official described the situation as being “not great” but “manageable” in the short-term. Sources similarly told CNN that the Russians and Americans are not operating in the same part of the base, but one said “it is not that big of an area.”
Speaking at a press conference in Hawaii, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin downplayed any potential risk to U.S. soldiers.
“The Russians are in a separate compound and don’t have access to U.S. forces or access to our equipment,” Austin said. “I’m always focused on the safety and protection of our troops… But right now, I don’t see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection.”
The Pentagon has said that its troops will leave Niger, but as yet there is no timeline about when the withdrawal will be complete.
Niger has turned toward Russia since the incumbent military regime took over—a power-grab that was officially recognized as a coup by the Biden administration in October. The designation triggered U.S. legislation restricting the amount of military training and assistance it can provide to the country.
State television last month reported that Russian military instructors and troops had arrived in Niger with equipment including an air defense system as part of efforts to strengthen security ties with the Kremlin.
