U. S. Secretary of Defense , Lloyd Austin confirmed on Friday that American forces are sharing space on Airbase 101, a hospital in the capital of Niger, with Russian military forces, but dismissed the Russians ‘ appearance as “not , a major problem here”.
The military junta known as the” National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland,” which seized control of the airport in a televised revolt in July, reportedly allowed Russian troops onto the base, according to a report released late on Friday.
” A top U. S. defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russian troops were not mingling with U. S. soldiers but were using a independent airport at Airbase 101, which is next to Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey, Niger’s capital”, Reuters relayed.
The unidentified national called the situation” never great.”
Austin confirmed that the Russian troops were present at Airbase 101 when questioned about the record of Russian soldiers there.
At a press event in Hawaii, Austin claimed that the Russians are in a split element and do not have access to US troops or our equipment. ” And this is something that, you know, again, I’m generally focused on the health and the safety of our army, things that we’ll continue to watch”.
” But right now, I do n’t see, I do n’t see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection”, Austin added.
The revolution, which allegedly brought Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former head of the national guard, to power, is apparently the result of Russian military presence in Niger. In its first message, the” National Council” asserted in its original statement that it would not violate any international treaties that the authorities of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum had made, but it quickly veered away from Niger and its Western allies. It has used its most violent force against France, its original colonial king, who finished its troop withdrawal in December.
American delegations have repeatedly traveled to Niger to meet coup leaders, and there have n’t been any significant agreements on the status of the United States presence in the nation, which has been a particularly problematic relationship with the administration of leftist American President Joe Biden.
Following the latest browse by American authorities to Niger, in March, revolution spokesman , Col. Amadou Abdramane announced that Tchiani was forcing America to close its military presence in the country on the grounds that the Biden plan had been” condescending” to the coup.
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Abdramane said,” The U.S. presence on the Republic of Niger is illegal and violates all legal and political laws that would require the royal people,” adding that the revolution “violated with power the patronizing attitude accompanied by the American delegation’s threat of retaliation.”
Abdramane made the announcement in the national target that Niger was pursuing closer ties with Russia to purchase military technology, apparently to remove American troops ‘ security. According to later reports, Nigerien coup regime leaders were especially upset by American officials ‘ refusal to pursue closer ties with Russia, Iran, and other American allies. In response to those initial reviews, Reuters cited an anonymous British official in a statement on Thursday, who claimed that the Nigerians “did not taking that well” when the Americans told the coup program Washington would never agree to share defense facilities with the Russians.
The position of America’s soldiers in Niger remains vague. Following the phone for America to “immediately” remove its forces from Niger in March, the Pentagon claimed that it was maintaining “ongoing debate” with the revolution program. The soldiers, at media time, are believed to be in Niger. The Biden administration made a statement in April that it would really leave Niger, but it is still not clear what exactly happened.
According to estimates, there are approximately 1, 000 company members stationed in the country as a result of bilateral agreements with Bazoum to combat combined criminal threats, particularly those directed at growing hostile jihadist groups in the Sahel area. According to some reports, the majority of Americans are currently stationed at Airbase 201 in Agadez, a facility that was estimated to cost$ 100 million in American taxpayer money to construct.
A Congressional report from April that was obtained by Breitbart News suggested that American troops in Niger were languishing in unacceptable conditions, facing shortages of basic supplies of medicine and other goods, and provided no indication when or if they would be relieved of their duties. The report, from the office of Rep. Matt Gaetz ( R- FL ), described conditions at Airbase 101, where the Russians are now believed to be stationed.
The situation, the report detailed, is , “preventing the delivery of mail, necessary medical supplies, blood to replenish the blood bank ( which requires constant turnover due to expiration windows ), equipment and repair supplies, and other routine materiel from the United States”.
” Personnel rotations for service members have been halted, leaving our troops stranded without any indication of relief or return home, as replacements ]aren’t ] authorized to enter Niger”, the report continued.
Additionally, the report revealed that Nigerien’s coup authorities eluded Russians and other “near-peer adversaries” from having unrestricted access to the nation.
Following a call between Tchiani and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Russia sent 100 troops into Niger that month, according to The Financial Times on April 23. According to some reports, Russian soldiers have been called “military instructors.”
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