Russia has moved some troops to an air base in Niger, where a small number of US forces remain after most left the base in the country’s capital, Niamey, a US official said.
Russian trainers arrived in the West African country about three weeks ago after Niger decided to withdraw all US troops.
The decision damaged US military efforts in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara where al-Qaeda and Daesh are active.
The Pentagon has said that US forces will leave, but has not given a specific timeframe.
When Russian forces arrived last month, it was unclear where they would stay. According to a US officer, they are now on the other side of the Niamey facility, known as Airbase 101, and no longer in close proximity to US personnel.
The base is near the Diori Hamani multinational airport, where other multinational soldiers, such as Germans and Italians, are also based. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss troop movements. It’s unclear how many US troops remain at the base in Niamey.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said there were no significant problems with US personnel in Niger. The Russian deployment to the site comes as tensions between Washington and Moscow remain high over continued US support for the Ukrainian military.
About 1,000 US troops remain in Niger, but the majority of them moved to Air Base 201 near Agadez, about 920 kilometers from the capital, shortly after soldiers deposed the country’s president last July.
A few months later, the ruling junta asked the French troops to leave and turned to Wagner for security help.
In October, Washington formally declared the military takeover a coup, triggering US regulations that limit the military assistance and supplies that can be provided to Niger.
Since then, diplomatic efforts to restore relations with Niger have failed.
