2023-09-10 12:53:05
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They report “around a hundred rotations of military cargo planes which made it possible to land significant quantities of war material and equipment in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin”.
Published on 09/10/2023 09:27 Updated on 09/10/2023 12:53
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A police officer stands guard in front of the French and Nigerien air base in Niamey, September 9, 2023. (AFP)
The Nigerien military regime, resulting from a coup d’état, accused France, on Saturday September 9, of preparing a “assault” against its territory. “France continues to deploy its forces in several countries of the [Communauté économique des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest] as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization”declared a soldier in a press release read on national television.
The regime says it has observed, since September 1, that “two A400M type military transport aircraft and a Dornier 328 were deployed as reinforcements in Ivory Coast”and “two Super Puma type multirole helicopters” and “around forty armored vehicles” have been “in Kandi and Malanville, Benin”. “On September 7, 2023, a French military ship docked in Cotonou [au Bénin] with personnel and military assets on board.according to the press release.
A redeployment will only take place “at the request of President Bazoum”, responds Macron
The ruling generals also report“a hundred rotations of military cargo planes having allowed the landing of large quantities of material and war equipment in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, to name but a few”. “These maneuvers” aim to “succeed in a military intervention against our country”they say.
“If we redeploy anything, I will only do so at the request of the president [déchu, Mohamed] Bazoum and in coordination with him. Not with officials who today take a president hostage”, replied Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, during a press conference after the G20 summit in New Delhi. After the coup d’état of July 26, ECOWAS threatened military intervention in Niger, to restore constitutional order, free the overthrown president Mohamed Bazoum and restore him to his functions.
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