WASHINGTON: The US secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin, has confirmed Russian security forces have been deployed to the same airbase as American troops in the Nigerien capital, Niamey.
It remains unclear when the Russian troops, who have been in Niger for weeks, were deployed to Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamani international airport in Niamey. It is also unclear how many troops are on the ground.
“Airbase 101 where our forces (are), is a Nigerien air force base that is co-located with an international airport in the capital city.
The Russians are in a separate compound and don’t have access to US forces or access to our equipment,” Austin said at a press conference in Honolulu.
In response to news of the deployment, the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters in Moscow on Friday that Russia was “developing ties with various African countries in all areas, including in the military one”.