2023-08-01 20:00:00
INTERNATIONAL – This Tuesday, August 1, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs issued a press release stating that “France is preparing the evacuation of its nationals and European nationals who wish to leave the country”. Niger has been under a coup since July 26 and becomes the third partner country of Operation Barkhane to denounce the presence of the French army on its territory.
Last Thursday, the head of the presidential guard Abdourahamane Tchiani took hostage the president Mohamed Bazoum, elected 2 years ago, in order to force him to resign.
Violence committed against the French Embassy
The evacuation of French nationals will begin today. The Quai d’Orsay justifies its decision by the “violence that took place against our embassy the day before yesterday and the closure of the airspace which leaves our compatriots without the possibility of leaving the country by their own means”.
#Niger | Full press release of August 1, 2023 ➡️ pic.twitter.com/Lzk4fHBuqO
— France Diplomacy???????????????? (@francediplo) August 1, 2023
Indeed, thousands of pro-coup demonstrators gathered in front of the French embassy in Niamey, capital of Niger, chanting anti-French slogans, before being dispersed by tear gas canisters. The demonstrators denounced the holding of a Defense Council on the subject of the putsch, convened by Emmanuel Macron on Saturday and experienced as a real interference by some.
In reaction to these scuffles, the French head of state replied that he would not tolerate “no attack against France and its interests” in Niger, and promises that Paris will respond “immediately and intractably”.
The putschists of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland now accuse France of wanting “to intervene militarily”which the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna, denied yesterday on the channel BFM TV.
Another French ally in Africa changing regime
Niger is one of the five countries involved alongside France in the framework of Operation Barkhane. This military operation was launched in 2014 in partnership with the Sahelo-Saharan zone made up of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad. Its objective is to fight against the establishment of armed jihadist groups throughout the region.
Niger therefore becomes the third country in this area to suffer a coup since 2020, after Mali and Burkina Faso. Each time, the presence of the French army, and more broadly the influence of France, is denounced by the putschists.
#France #longer #Niger