Strengthening ties with Russia as it pulls back from Western allies, Niger has deemed US troops’ presence ‘illegal’.
Officials says Russians do not have access to US forces at Airbase 101 as Moscow’s troops deployed to a separate hanger.
US ‘touched a nerve’ in security dealings with Niger, opening door to ‘transactional’ Russia as Sahel violence spirals.
The US built a base in the desert city of Agadez at the cost of $100m for manned and unmanned surveillance flights.