Russian navy personnel have moved into an air base in Niger that can be housing US troops, US officers stated Thursday.
“[The situation] is just not nice however within the short-term manageable,” a senior US protection official told Reuters.
The entry of Russian forces into Airbase 101 in Niger’s capital metropolis of Niamey comes as negotiations happen between the US and the African nation on withdrawing the roughly 1,000 American service members deployed to the nation.
Relations between the US and Niger have deteriorated since a military junta took control of Niger’s authorities final yr.
The brand new navy authorities is demanding that US forces conducting counterterrorism operations out of Niger go away the nation.
Russian troops are occupying a hangar on the bottom, which is owned by the Nigeriens, separate from the place US service members are being housed, and so they’ve been on the property for a number of weeks, according to the Hill.
“We’ve been monitoring the state of affairs,” a US official advised the outlet, noting that Russian personnel should not have direct entry to US troops, areas, or tools.
The official additionally defined that almost all of US troops in Niger moved to a unique air base, in Agade, shortly after the July 2023 coup.
Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Wednesday that the US can be sending a delegation to Niger this week to debate the withdrawal of US forces.
Russia’s Protection Ministry introduced in January that the Kremlin and Niger had agreed to develop military cooperation “to stabilize the state of affairs within the area” and assist practice Nigerien troops.
The Russian navy’s proximity to US troops comes at a time of elevated tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
President Biden signed laws final month authorizing greater than $60 billion in navy help to Ukraine, $1 billion of which has already been despatched to the war-torn nation, within the type of much-needed anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and artillery rounds.
The US has additionally just lately supplied the Ukrainian Military with long-range missile systems able to putting deep behind Russia’s frontlines.
The Pentagon didn’t reply to The Put up’s request for remark.
