The military regime ruling in Niger has closed the country’s airspace to planes from France, the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation in Africa (Asecna) said on Sunday. President Emmanuel Macron revealed that France has decided to withdraw its ambassador from Niger and end military cooperation with that country.
Airspace Niger – as Ascena wrote on its website – “is open to all domestic and international commercial flights with the exception of French aircraft or aircraft chartered by Franceincluding aircraft belonging to the Air France fleet.
Macron announced the end of military cooperation with Niger
On Sunday evening, Macron, in an interview for TF1 and France 2 television stations, revealed that France had decided to withdraw its ambassador from Niger and end military cooperation with this country. French soldiers will leave Niger soil by the end of this year.
– We were at the request of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali on their territory to fight terrorism. These countries were affected by coups d’état, said the French president.
French President Emmanuel MacronGints Ivuskans/Shutterstock
The junta took power in Niger
At the end of July, the Nigerien military junta overthrew the democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, an ally of Western countries, and a key figure in the fight against jihadist forces in the Sahel. General Abdourahamane Tchiani declared himself the new leader of the country.
Tchiani makes extensive use of anti-French rhetoric. The junta terminated the military agreements concluded with Paris, especially those related to the stationing of French soldiers as part of operations against jihadists. The military regime accused Paris of intending to intervene militarily in Niger in order to restore Bazouma to power.
He also claimed that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is funded by France, the former colonial power in the region. Following the coup, ECOWAS imposed sanctions on Niger and threatened the military regime with military force to restore constitutional order.
Ambassador ‘taken hostage’
At the end of July, during a demonstration of support for the coupists, demonstrators in Niamey attacked the French embassy. “Down with France!”, “Long live Russia! – they shouted.
At the end of August, the junta stripped the French ambassador of his diplomatic immunity and ordered the police to expel him. France did not comply with these demands.
A few days ago Macron said the French ambassador to Niger was “literally taken hostage” in a French facility by the military junta. – Food cannot be delivered to the embassy, Macron said.
Main photo source: Gints Ivuskans/Shutterstock