In a visible symbol of the decline of American influence in Niger, Russian troops have now moved into an installation near where American troops Niger has ordered to leave still remain.
According to Reuters, the base in question, Airbase 101, is near Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital of Niamey.
Weeks ago, Niger ordered U.S. troops to leave the country. The Biden administration has not yet pulled out its forces, which has led to accusations of ineptitude from Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin downplayed any expectation of friction between U.S. and Russian troops, according to CBS News.
“The Russians are in a separate compound and don’t have access to U.S. forces or access to our equipment,” he said.
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“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,” Austin said.
CBS News quoted an official it did not name as saying the two forces were about two miles apart, and the Russian troops were trainers.
Tensions between the United States and Russia have intensified since the latter invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The Biden administration has sent Ukraine tens of billions of dollars in support.
Although the United States has about 1,000 troops in Niger, most are at another base, Airbase 201, about 500 miles from the capital.
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As noted by Reuters, Airbase 201 was built by the United States at a cost of more than $100 million.
The expected arrival of Russian troops was a hot-button item in a mid-March meeting between U.S. and Nigerian leaders, who were told the United States did not want to share space with the Russians, according to Reuters, which cited an official it did not name.
“They did not take that well,” the official said.
Exclusive: Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting US troops, a senior US defense told @Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger’s junta to expel US forces from the country https://t.co/NAskEwd80E pic.twitter.com/nfHlWyc46i
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 2, 2024
In March, Africa Command leader Gen. Michael Langley told U.S. lawmakers that “a number of countries are at the tipping point of being captured by the Russian Federation,” according to CBS News.
The outlet quoted what it called a senior military official as calling the forced removal of U.S. troops from Niger “a devastating blow, both for our regional counterterrorism efforts and to overall peace in the region going forward.”
“Our soldiers have worked for years building the capacity and providing training to regional forces,” the unidentified official said.
“This is a tough blow on all levels.”
Hannah Rae Armstrong, an analyst focused on the region, said the expulsion “reflects a real shift in the balance of power,” according to The New York Times.
“Over the past decade, Niger has repeatedly pleaded for security assistance and aid,” she said. “Now it’s the U.S. that finds itself in a position of being asked to beg to keep forces and bases in the country.”
“The potential fallout goes beyond the not insignificant damage to counterterrorism and intelligence efforts that loss of access to the bases in Niger entail, but to the broader damage to America’s standing on the continent,” said J. Peter Pham, a former special U.S. envoy to the region.
