The Russian diplomatic mission in Cotonou is monitoring reports on the redeployment of US troops from Niger to Benin, Russian Ambassador to Benin and Togo Igor Evdokimov said in an interview with Sputnik.
"The embassy is monitoring reports of the redeployment of American troops from Niger to Benin. Until now, Cotonou has not commented on this issue. Unlike our Western colleagues, we recognize Cotonou's right to freely choose its partners in the sphere of defense and security," Evdokimov said.
Earlier, the United States faced the problem of ending military cooperation with Chad and Niger at the initiative of these countries. Former Pentagon analyst and retired US Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, commenting on these events, told Sputnik that such steps marked the end and failure of the US neocolonial policy toward Africa. The authorities of Niger and the United States agreed to complete the withdrawal of US troops from this African country no later than September 15. Later, the Pentagon announced that part of the American contingent (approximately 75 people) would be withdrawn from Chad.
In total, according to available data, the number of US troops in Niger was about 1,100 and about 100 in Chad.