The military government of Niger on Sunday claimed France is positioning troops in surrounding countries and preparing an invasion to reverse the coup that forced President Mohamed Bazoum out of power in July.
The junta broadcast a communique from spokesman Col. Amadou Abdramane over state television on Sunday night that accused France of moving troops into the nations of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as “part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization.”
“Military cargo aircraft have enabled large quantities of war material and equipment to be unloaded in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin, to name but a few,” Abdramane said.
The junta spokesman implored the international community to “witness the consequences of this aggressive, underhanded and contemptuous attitude adopted by France.”
Supporters of Niger’s ruling junta gather at the start of a protest called to fight for the country’s freedom and push back against foreign interference in Niamey, Niger, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Sam Mednick)
ECOWAS has been floating the idea of invading Niger to restore Bazoum to power since a few days after the July 26 coup. The junta closed Niger’s airspace on August 7 because an ECOWAS invasion was supposedly imminent. On August 18, ECOWAS claimed it had set a “D-Day” for military intervention, but refused to disclose what day that might be.
The junta-appointed prime minister of Niger, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, took a much more conciliatory tone on Tuesday, saying that discussions were in progress with Paris for a “very swift” withdrawal of French troops from Niger.
Zeine said he wants to “maintain cooperation with a country with which we have shared a great deal” — meaning France — and hoped an agreement could also be reached with ECOWAS.
French President Emmanuel Macron has adamantly refused to recognize the legitimacy of the coup, recently stating that he would only consider withdrawing troops from Niger if the request came from Bazoum.
French President Emmanuel Macron, right, welcomes Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, Friday, June 23, 2023, the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Macron also refused to withdraw French Ambassador Sylvain Itte when the junta revoked his credentials and ordered him to leave the country two weeks ago.
A source within the French defense ministry told AFP on Tuesday that talks are indeed underway with the junta to withdraw some “elements” of the French presence in Niger.
France currently has about 1,500 troops stationed in Niger as part of a long-running counterterrorism operation. Most of them are headquartered in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, while the rest are stationed near the terrorist-haunted borders of Mali and Burkina Faso. The French soldiers have been hunkered down in their barracks while junta supporters march outside and demand their departure.
“We went from an exciting mission, a combat partnership with the Nigerien forces, to a somewhat heavy atmosphere,” a French officer told Radio France International (RFI) on Friday with bemused understatement.
“Technically, we can stay here for a long time, but we end up wondering what all this is for,” another French soldier confessed.
Nigeria’s Daily Post on Monday reported on a video that showed junta forces deploying along the border with Benin in anticipation of a French and/or ECOWAS invasion.