Thousands rally in Niger seeking withdrawal of French troops

Thousands rally in Niger seeking withdrawal of French troops

In Niger Thousands demonstrated on Saturday in Niamey, the capital of Niger, to demand that France, the former colonial power, withdraw its forces, as requested by the junta that seized power in July. 

The protesters gathered near a French military base in West Africa in response to a summons from several anti-French military presence civic organizations. 

They displayed banners that read, “French army, leave our country” A dense throng gathered at a roundabout near the French military base on the outskirts of Niamey after afternoon arrivals swelled the size of the demonstration. 

Niger’s military regime fired a new verbal salvo at France on Friday, accusing Paris of “blatant interference” by supporting the deposed president of the country, as protestors held a similar rally. 

President Mohamed Bazoum, a French ally whose 2021 election had inspired optimism for stability in the troubled country, was detained on July 26 by members of his security detail. 

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Relations with France, the country’s former colonial power and ally in its battle against jihadism, rapidly deteriorated after France’s support for Bazoum.

 On August 3, the regime proclaimed the termination of military agreements with France, which has approximately 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country, a move that Paris has disregarded based on legality. 

According to military commanders, one of the agreements, which dates back to 2012, will expire within a month. 

The military rulers have also proclaimed the immediate “expulsion” and withdrawal of diplomatic immunity for French ambassador Sylvain Itte. 

They stated that his presence posed a threat to public safety. However, French President Emmanuel Macron praised Itte’s work in Niger on Monday and stated that he remained in the country despite being issued a 48-hour deadline to leave on Friday. 

The 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states in Article 22 that embassy premises are “inviolable” and agents of the host state “may not enter them without the permission of the head of the mission.” 

Thousands rally in Niger seeking withdrawal of French troops