Russian soldiers entered the airbase known as “Airbase 101,” located next to the Diori Hamani International Airport in Niger, where US soldiers are stationed. This incident became a notable event among the recent developments in the West African country of Niger.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made remarks regarding the matter in a press conference. Austin stated that he did not see a significant problem due to the fact that Russian troops did not have access to US soldiers or equipment. “Airbase 101, where our forces are located, is a Nigerian Air Force base located at the same site as the international airport in the capital. The Russians are in a separate compound, and they do not have access to US forces or our equipment. I have always focused on the safety of our troops, and that is something we will continue to follow. But at this moment, I don’t see a significant problem here,” he said.
Russian military instructors arrived in Niamey in April following a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and General Omar Tchiani, who governs Niger. The Nigerien media reported that Russia would assist in establishing its air defense system to ensure full control of the country’s airspace. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti also stated that Russian military instructors came to Niamey “to train the Nigerien army in counterterrorism.”
Following the coup in Niger last July, the military junta that took control of the country expelled French soldiers. The junta government increased military cooperation with Russia in January and terminated the military agreement with the United States made in 2012 in March.
While the US still has around a thousand military personnel in Niger, their movements have been restricted since the coup. After the coup, the US shifted its soldiers stationed at the airbase in the capital to Airbase 201 in Agadez. The number of military personnel remaining at the airbase in the capital and the type of military equipment are unknown.
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