US ambassador takes post in Niger – report

She presented her credentials to the foreign ministry on Sunday, as a Russian delegation arrived in Niamey for talks with the junta, state TV reports.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare said the ambassador’s move signalled US recognition of the military-led government which seized power in a coup in July.

The US embassy in Niger has not yet commented.

The US has about 1,100 soldiers at bases in Niger, to combat the threat posed by militant Islamists in the region.

It announced the suspension of security cooperation and some financial aid following the coup but has gradually shifted its position in an apparent attempt to neutralise the growing influence of Russia in the region.

Niger’s state TV reports that military officials held talks on Sunday with the Russian delegation on Sunday to strengthen cooperation between the two nations.