"[The situation] is not great but in the short-term manageable," a senior US defense official told Reuters.
The entry of Russian forces into Airbase 101 in Niger’s capital city of Niamey comes as negotiations take place between the US and the African nation on withdrawing the roughly 1,000 American service members deployed to the country.
Competitive bidding/bribing. We simply lost the bid.
Relations between the US and Niger have deteriorated since a military junta took control of Niger’s government last year.
Russian troops are occupying a hangar on the base, which is owned by the Nigeriens, separate from where US service members are being housed, and they’ve been on the property for several weeks, according to the Hill.
"We have been monitoring the situation," a US official told the outlet, noting that Russian personnel do not have direct access to US troops, spaces, or equipment.
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The official also explained that the majority of US troops in Niger moved to a different air base, in Agade, shortly after the July 2023 coup.