By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) – US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday that there is "no significant issue" with the protection of American troops in Niger.
"The Russians are in a separate compound and don't have access to US forces or access to our equipment," Austin said at a news conference after meeting with his counterparts from Australia, Japan and the Philippines in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His remarks came after reports that Russian troops had entered an airbase in Niger's capital Niamey where US soldiers are stationed.
"I'm always focused on the safety and protection of our troops, something that we'll continue to watch. But right now, I don't see a significant issue here in terms of our force protection," he added.
The US and Niger are discussing plans to withdraw American troops from the West African nation.
Niger terminated its longstanding military agreement with Washington in early March this year, declaring the presence of all US troops and contractors "illegal” because "it was not democratically approved and imposes unfavorable conditions on Niger, particularly in terms of a lack of transparency on military activities," according to Nigerien government spokesman Amadou Abdramane.
The US has approximately 1,100 troops in Niger.