Russian military personnel have been staying at an air base in Niger that also hosts U.S. troops and equipment, a U.S. official confirmed to The Hill Thursday.

The news comes as roughly 1,000 American service members are expected to withdraw from Niger following deteriorating relations with the African nation after a military coup there last year. The military junta that now controls Niger’s government has demanded U.S. forces leave and turned to Russia for weapons and security.

The Russian troops “for a couple of weeks” have been at Airbase 101, next to Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital city of........

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