{"id":111687,"date":"2024-05-04T06:35:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-04T10:35:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africatodaynewsnewyork.com\/?p=111687"},"modified":"2024-05-04T06:35:56","modified_gmt":"2024-05-04T10:35:56","slug":"tension-as-russia-sends-troops-to-us-occupied-niger-airbase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africatodaynewsnewyork.com\/2024\/05\/04\/tension-as-russia-sends-troops-to-us-occupied-niger-airbase\/","title":{"rendered":"Tension As Russia Sends Troops To US Occupied Niger Airbase"},"content":{"rendered":"

US officials on Saturday disclosed that Russian<\/a> troops has been deployed to an airbase in Niger Republic where American soldiers are located, a move which has sparked controversy in the face of US withdrawal from the West African country.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The US has been ordered to withdraw troops countering Islamic insurgents in the region by Niger\u2019s military rulers.<\/p>\n

Russian forces were present at the base in Niger\u2019s capital Niamey, but were not mingling with American troops, US officials told the Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n

Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said the Russians posed no \u201crisk\u201d to US forces.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Russians are in a separate compound and don\u2019t have access to US forces or access to our equipment,\u201d Mr Austin told journalists in Honolulu, Hawaii.<\/p>\n

Read Also: <\/strong>Two Alleged Russian Spies Apprehended In Germany<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cI\u2019m always focused on the safety and protection of our troops\u2026 But right now, I don\u2019t see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection,\u201d the defence secretary added.<\/p>\n

Niger is in Africa\u2019s Sahel region, which is considered the new global epicentre of the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n

The US has relied on the country as its primary base for monitoring regional jihadist activity, but its relations with the country\u2019s ruling military regime have deteriorated since it condemned last year\u2019s coup.<\/p>\n

In turn, Niger has turned to Russia for assistance fighting Islamist insurgents in the south of the country.<\/p>\n

The Russians deployed to Airbase 101 at Niger\u2019s international airport in Niamey are said to be military trainers. They are said to be occupying a wing close to a contingent of US troops.<\/p>\n

According to Reuters, earlier this year officials in Niger told the US that about 60 Russian troops would be deployed to the country. It is unclear how accurate that figure is today. It is also unclear how many American troops remain at Airbase 101.<\/p>\n

Most of the US troops in Niger are said to be at a drone base in the central city of Agadez, some 750km (460 miles) north-east of Niamey<\/p>\n

Africa Today News, New York<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

US officials on Saturday disclosed that Russian troops has been deployed to an airbase in Niger Republic where American soldiers are located, a move which has sparked controversy in the face of US withdrawal from the West African country.\u00a0 The US has been ordered to withdraw troops countering Islamic insurgents in the region by Niger\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":111715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nTension As Russia Sends Troops To US Occupied Niger Airbase<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"US officials on Saturday disclosed that Russian troops has been deployed to an airbase in Niger Republic where American soldiers are 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