France is making preparations to evacuate its citizens from Niger, a West African nation, due to rising anti-French sentiment following a recent coup.
In addition to assisting its own citizens, France has also announced its intention to help other European nationals leave the country.
The coup has triggered protests against France, the former colonial power, with even the French embassy coming under attack.
This development coincides with warnings from the neighboring countries of Burkina Faso and Mali.
The juntas in these countries have cautioned that any attempt to forcefully reinstate the ousted president in Niger would be considered a declaration of war.
Burkina Faso and Mali, both former French colonies, have moved away from France and aligned themselves with Russia after experiencing their own coups.
This situation adds complexity to an already volatile region grappling with an Islamist militant insurgency.
Niger, being rich in uranium, has been a vital ally for Western nations, including France and the US, in their efforts to combat jihadist extremism in the Sahel.
France had previously shifted its counter-terror operations to Niger following Mali’s partnership with Russian Wagner mercenaries in 2021.
Protests outside the French embassy in Niamey, Niger’s capital, saw demonstrators expressing support for Russia and President Putin while expressing disdain for France. They also set fire to the embassy compound walls.
Due to the closure of Niger’s airspace, French citizens were unable to leave the country independently, leading to the decision to conduct evacuations starting on Tuesday. Italy’s foreign minister also confirmed that Italian citizens were being offered special flights to leave Niamey for Italy.
Earlier, France had welcomed an ultimatum from the West African bloc Ecowas, which demanded that Niger’s junta reinstate the elected President Mohamed Bazoum within a week.
Chad’s President Mahamat Idris Déby mediated efforts on behalf of Ecowas and was pictured with Mr. Bazoum.
Burkina Faso and Mali responded to the possibility of Ecowas military intervention by threatening to withdraw from the bloc and defend their eastern neighbor.
They believe such intervention would be disastrous and destabilizing. These countries are already suspended from Ecowas due to previous coups.
Niger’s junta has not yet commented on the demand from Ecowas but asserted its commitment to defending the country from any aggression by regional or Western powers, accusing France of planning military intervention.
However, the French Foreign Minister refuted this allegation.
The situation in Niamey appears calm as preparations for evacuations begin, and a crisis meeting is underway at the French foreign ministry in coordination with the embassy in Niamey.
Despite the evacuations, French nuclear fuel company Orano’s operations in Niger are not expected to be significantly affected, as most of its staff consists of Nigerien nationals.