The military government in Niger claimed that France has stationed troops in several West African nations in preparation for military involvement.
Relationships with France, Niger’s former colonial power, quickly deteriorated after Paris supported the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum in the wake of the coup in July.
“It should be brought to the attention of the public opinion, national and international, that despite the announcement of this withdrawal plan, France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS (ed, Economic Community of West African States) countries as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization,” accused Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane, Niger’s regime spokesman.
The West African bloc ECOWAS, which has threatened to act militarily if diplomatic pressure to reinstate Bazoum as president fails, and the Sahel state are locked in a standoff.
Several military cooperation agreements with France, which has roughly 1,500 soldiers stationed in Niger as part of a larger campaign against jihadism, were rejected by the coup leaders in Niger on August 3.
President Macron repeated France’s position and called for President Bazoum’s release on Sunday.
He emphasised that the overthrown head of state must request the redeployment of soldiers in order for it to happen.
“Since last July, a coup d’รฉtat has been holding a democratically elected president hostage. France’s position is simple: we condemn it, we call for the release of President Bazoum and the restoration of constitutional order, and we do not recognize the legitimacy of the putschists’ declarations, since President Bazoum has not relinquished power. And so, if we redeploy anything, I would only do so at President Bazoum’s request and in coordination with him, not with officials who today are taking a president hostage. On this subject, from day one, France has been coordinating with all the presidents of the region and the heads of state and government, and we fully support the positions of Ecowas,” clarified French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to a source in the Paris defense ministry, the French army was in discussions with the military administration on Tuesday about reducing some of its presence in Niger.
