France recalls ambassador, announces withdrawal of troops from coup-hit Niger
Anti-France protest
France has pulled out its envoy and announced the end of its military presence in coup-hit Niger months after protests by people against French presence in the country.
Making the announcement on Sunday, President Emanuel Macron told a French news TV in an interview, “France has decided to withdraw its ambassador.”
“In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” he added.
The French president further said that the military cooperation with the Niger was over and the troops would be withdrawn in “the months and weeks to come” with a full pullout by the end of the year.
“We will consult the putschists, because we want this to be done peacefully,” he added.
Currently, there are about 1,500 French troops in the Niger as part of an anti-jihadist deployment in the Sahel region.
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Macron said that the junta “no longer wanted to fight against terrorism”.
France to pull out troops from Niger; French Ambassador to leave Niger
Niger junta hails move
Hours after the statement, Niger’s junta said that the announcement signals a “new step towards the sovereignty” of the country.
“This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger,” said the statement from the military rulers.
“This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people,” the Niger statement added.
The military leaders ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26— a third such putsch in the region in as many years—citing persistent insecurity in the region.
Macron said that he still acknowledges Bazoum—currently in detention—as the"sole legitimate authority" and had informed him of his decision.
Anti-French sentiment at all-time high
"He was targeted by this coup d'etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice," he said.
The development stems from years of anti-French sentiment running in the country, with many local politicians accusing Paris of carrying out neo-colonialist policies - a charge denied by France.
Moreover, there have been growing concerns about the role of Russia's Wagner mercenary group in toppling the civilian government.
The regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)has threatened military intervention in Niger to reinstate Bazoum, but it has not taken any action so far.
Niger is one of several former French colonies in West Africa where the military has recently seized control - it follows Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Chad.The latest coup was in Gabonin August.
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