Russian Troops Have Entered Air Base Hosting U.S. Soldiers

Russia has sent troops into an air base in Niger that is hosting American soldiers, reports say, after the country’s ruling junta ordered all U.S. forces to leave the West African nation.

The situation at Air Base 101 in Niamey, the capital city, comes as relations between Washington, D.C. and Moscow are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It’s not clear how many American troops are on the base, but an unnamed U.S. official told the Associated Press that only a small number of U.S. forces remained.

The official also said the Russian troops had arrived last month after Niger told the U.S. to withdraw its almost 1,000 troops from the country. Before the junta seized power in a coup in July 2023, Niger had been an important partner in U.S. counterterror operations in the Sahel region of Africa where groups affiliated with ISIS and al Qaeda operate.

Read more at The Daily Beast.