Russian troops enter base housing US military in Niger

Russia has moved some troops onto an airbase in Niger where a small number of US forces remain after most American troops left the base in the nation's capital, Niamey, a US official said.

The arrival of Russian trainers in the West African country about three weeks ago came in the wake of Niger's decision to order out all US troops.

The order dealt a blow to US military operations in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to Al Qaida and Daesh operate.

The Pentagon has said the US troops will depart but has not provided a precise timeline.

When Russian troops arrived last month, it wasn't clear where they were staying. A US official said they are now located on the other side of the Niamey facility, known as Airbase 101, and are not near US forces.

The base is by the Diori Hamani International Airport, where other international forces — such as the Germans and Italians — also reside.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements. It's not clear exactly how many US troops remain at the Niamey base.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, meanwhile, said there was no significant issue with US forces in Niger.

"The Russians are in a separate compound and don't have access to US forces or access to our equipment," Austin told a news conference in Honolulu.

"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."

The Russian presence on the base comes as tensions remain high between Washington and Moscow over the ongoing US support for Ukraine's military.

About 1,000 US troops are still in Niger, but the bulk of them moved to what's called Airbase 201 near Agadez, some 920 kilometres away from the capital, not long after soldiers ousted the country’s president last July.

A few months later, the ruling junta asked French forces to leave and turned to Wagner for security assistance.

Departure from Chad?

In October, Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup, which triggered US laws restricting the military support and aid that it can provide to Niger.

Since then, diplomatic efforts to restore ties with Niger have been unsuccessful.

Until recently, Washington considered Niger a key partner and ally in a region swept by coups in recent years, investing millions of dollars in the Agadez base, which has been critical to US counterterrorism operations in the Sahel.

The US also has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger’s military since it began operations there in 2013.

The Pentagon also has said the US will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in neighbouring Chad for now.

Chad is also considering whether to continue its security agreement with the US.

Major General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, told reporters that the departure from Chad "is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's May 6th presidential election."