US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Russia’s Wagner mercenary group is exploiting the instability in Niger following a recent coup. The country’s ruling junta, which came to power after ousting President Mohamed Bazoum, is reported to have requested assistance from Wagner, which is active in neighboring Mali. While Blinken doesn’t believe that Russia or Wagner instigated Niger’s coup, he expressed concern about the group’s potential presence in the Sahel region. Wagner has been accused of human rights abuses in various African countries. The US and France have military bases in Niger to combat jihadist groups in the area.