Alwaght- The prime minister of Niger’s Military-held government on Monday, September 4, said “contacts” were underway for a “very swift” withdrawal of French forces from the country.
In a press conference, Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said “the contacts that are underway should enable a very swift withdrawal” of French forces. But, he said, Niger wished “to maintain cooperation with a country with which we have shared an enormous number of things.”
Tensions between Niger and France, its former colonial power, ratcheted up after rebel officers on July 26 forced out President Mohamed Bazoum.
On August 3, Niger’s new rulers announced the scrapping of military agreements with France. Ever since, Nigeriens have been holding daily demonstrations in front of a military base housing the French forces in the capital, threatening to storm the facility if French troops refused to leave.
The prime minister noted that as a result of the renunciation of those agreements, the French troops in Niger were now “in a position of illegality.”
Niger’s military leaders also expelled France’s ambassador Sylvain Itte in late August after withdrawing his diplomatic immunity. They gave Itte 48 hours to leave, saying his presence constituted a threat to public order and accusing France of meddling in the country’s internal affairs.
