NIAMEY: New Russian military equipment and military advisers have arrived in Niger, according to state television in the African state that wants US forces to withdraw.
About 100 Russian advisers arrived in Niger along with air defense systems on April 10.
According to Tele Sahel, Russia has now sent three cargo aircrafts of military material and instructors in the last month while two more military transporter planes arrived on Saturday.
The Africa Corps confirmed the arrival of the instructors in a post on the group’s Telegram account. The group is seen as the successor of the Wagner paramilitary group in Africa.
Earlier, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin indicated that Russian troops were now deployed at an air base near the Niamey airport that also hosts US troops.
Niger’s junta, which took power in a July 2023 coup, expelled French forces based in the African country and then ended a military cooperation agreement with the US. It said the agreement had been imposed by Washington unilaterally.
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Washington in April agreed to withdraw roughly 1,000 troops from the country. Negotiations are underway between Niger and the United States about the withdrawal.
US forces have a major drone base near Agadez, constructed at a cost of about $100 million.
Niger’s military leaders have developed closer ties with Russia, like Mali and Burkina Faso, which also have military coup leaders and are fighting rebel groups linked with Al-Qaeda and Daesh.
In April, Idrissa Soumana Maiga, head of the private L’Enqueteur newspaper, was jailed after an article mentioned the installation of Russian intelligence equipment in official buildings.
