US confirms Russian forces deployed to same Niger airbase as American troops

USconfirms Russian forces deployed to same Niger airbase as American troops

Russians in separatecompound and do not have access to US forces or equipment, says defencesecretary

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/03/us-confirms-russian-forces-have-entered-airbase-in-niger-where-us-troops-are-stationed#:~:text=The%20US%20secretary%20of%20defence,in%20the%20Nigerien%20capital%2C%20Niamey.

Eromo Egbejule and agencies

Fri 3 May 2024 23.00 AEST

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TheUS secretary of defence, Lloyd Austin, has confirmed Russian security forceshave been deployed to the same airbase as American troops in the Nigeriencapital, Niamey.

It remains unclearwhen the Russian troops, who have been in Nigerfor weeks, were deployed to Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamaniinternational airport in Niamey.It is also unclear how many troops are on the ground.

“Airbase101 where our forces [are], is a Nigerien air force base that is co-locatedwith an international airport in the capital city. The Russians are in aseparate compound and don’t have access to US forces or access to ourequipment,” Austin said at a press conference inHonolulu.

In response to newsof the deployment, the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters in Moscow on Friday that Russia was “developing ties withvarious African countries in all areas, including in the military one”.

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