Financial Times: US forces’ withdrawal from Niger is a strategic victory for Russia

WORLD, April 25 (YPA) – The decision of the United States to withdraw its forces from Niger seen as another strategic victory for Russia, Financial Times reported.

The paper stated in its report on Wednesday that “The departure of the American army is another strategic victory for Moscow in the Sahel region.

It added that several African countries have increasingly started to avoid contact with Western partners and instead have begun to increase and enhance cooperation with Russia.

Meanwhile, The Minister of Interior in Niger stated that his country is interested in training local security forces by Russian military specialists and is looking to purchase weapons from Russia.

On Monday, The Pentagon announced that the United States has started discussions with Niger on withdrawing American soldiers from the country.

Niger military council announced last month the termination of the military cooperation agreement with the United States. The council considered the presence of American forces on Nigerien soil as illegal and conflicting with Niger’s interests.

The military government in Niger agreed to enhance defense cooperation with Russia in January, after the expulsion of French forces that were present in the country as part of the fight against jihadists in the African Sahel region.

Earlier in April, the Novosti agency reported that Russian experts had arrived in Niger to train local security forces in combating terrorism.

The agency quoted a Russian expert saying, “The African Corps will establish relations here and will also help in forming and training the Nigerien army.”

E.M