France, but also Italy and Spain, will shortly start to evacuate their nationals from Niger following a military coup, as junta-led Burkina Faso and Mali warned against any military intervention in Niger which would be considered a “declaration of war” against their two countries.
France and Italy prepared on Tuesday July 1 to evacuate their citizens and other Europeans from Niger following a military coup six days ago that has unleashed protests against the former colonial power. Also, the Spanish government said it was preparing to evacuate more than 70 Spaniards in Niger by air.
Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, one of the last pro-Western leaders in the jihadist-plagued Sahel, was overthrown on July 26 by his own guard. The West African bloc ECOWAS on Sunday slapped sanctions on Niger and warned it may use force as it gave the coup leaders a week to reinstate Bazoum.
In the wake of France’s withdrawal from Mali and Burkina Faso after it fell out with their juntas, its anti-jihadist Barkhane mission had to be drastically refocused on Niger last year. France had at one point around 5,400 troops in its mission across the Sahel, supported by fighter jets, helicopters and drones, but today’s reconfigured French force has only around 1,500 men mainly in Niger. Its putschists have now accused France of seeking to “intervene militarily,” a charge denied by Paris, while junta-led Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would be considered a “declaration of war” against their two countries.