In a significant development, US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, has confirmed that Russian security forces have been deployed to Airbase 101 in the capital city of Niger, Niamey. The presence of Russian troops at the same airbase as American forces raises geopolitical tensions in the region.

The exact deployment date of the Russian troops remains unclear, though it is known that they have been in Niger for several weeks now. Airbase 101, situated next to Diori Hamani International Airport, serves as a Nigerien air force base and is co-located with an international airport. Secretary Austin emphasized that the Russian troops are situated in a separate compound and do not have access to US forces or their equipment.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, in response to the news, stated that Russia is "developing ties with various African countries in all areas, including in the military one." This deployment is seen as part of Russia's broader efforts to expand its influence and strengthen ties with African nations, including those in the Sahel region.

The deployment comes in the aftermath of a coup in July of the previous year, which saw the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, being ousted. Niger's junta has since reconfigured its partnerships with Western allies, leading to the request for US and French troops, who had strained relationships with several countries in the region, to exit their bases.

Russia has been making strides in various parts of Africa, rekindling relationships from the Cold War era and offering "regime stabilization" packages to African leaders. The Wagner mercenary group has been the face of Moscow's presence in the continent recently.

Ikemesit Effiong, the head of research at geopolitical risk advisory SBM Intelligence, views the presence of Russian and US troops in the same Nigerien base as evidence of a "live geopolitical faultline," where coastal West Africa aligns with the West and the Sahel leans towards Russia.

Following the coup, US military forces were relocated from Airbase 101 to Airbase 201 in Agadez. The extent of the remaining US military equipment at Airbase 101 is currently unknown. Airbase 201, built at a cost exceeding £80m, has been instrumental in targeting Islamic State and the al-Qaida affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen, through drone operations since 2018.

The US remains concerned about the potential expansion of jihadist activity in the Sahel region in the absence of Western-led counterinsurgency efforts, especially in intelligence operations. Niger's decision to request the removal of US troops came after senior US officials expressed concerns about the expected arrival of Russian forces and reports of Iran seeking raw materials, such as uranium, within the country.

As the region grapples with fraying democracy and economic strains, countries in West Africa are likely to shift between Western and Russian alliances, keeping both Washington and Moscow occupied for the foreseeable future.

The deployment of Russian troops at Airbase 101 underscores the delicate geopolitical dynamics in the Sahel region and raises questions about the future security landscape in West Africa.