Niger's military tells French ambassador to leave within 48 hours

The military rulers who seized control of Niamey on July 26 have given the French ambassador 48 hours to leave Niger, the country's minister of foreign affairs said in a statement.

Faced with "the refusal of the French ambassador in Niamey to respond to an invitation" from the minister for a meeting and "other actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger", the authorities have decided to withdraw their approval of Sylvain Itte and ask him to depart within 48 hours, the statement said on Friday.

This decision follows a series of statements and demonstrations against France since Niger's army overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, who has since been detained with his family.

The military leaders accuse Paris of wanting to intervene militarily in Niger in order to reinstate Bazoum and claim that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is an organisation in the pocket of former regional colonial power France.

ECOWAS has imposed heavy economic sanctions on Niger following the coup and has threatened the use of armed force to restore constitutional order.

France has some 1,500 troops stationed in Niger to aid in fighting militant groups that have plagued the country along with the wider Sahel region for years.

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Source: TRT