“Thousand of protesters gathered in front of the French embassy in Niger, chanting slogans in support of General Tchiani’s coup plotters against Paris and waving Russian flags. This was reported by a journalist from Le Figaro who is in Niamey, speaking of a very tense situation. France, which does not recognize the coup plotters, announced yesterday the suspension of bilateral cooperation with Nigeras the EU has also done. The protesters were then dispersed with tear gasreport the French media.
“We condemn the acts of violence around our embassy in Niger and ask the authorities to guarantee its security”, writes the Quai d’Orsay in a statement. President Emmanuel Macron “it will not tolerate any attack against France and its interests”, the Elysium said, according to French media reports. “Anyone who attacks French citizens, the military and diplomats will see France respond immediately and unflinchingly“, adds the presidency.
THE Meanwhile, coup leaders warn against military intervention in the country, while ECOWAS (the Economic Community of West African States) meets in an emergency summit which could decide sanctions against Niamey. “The objective of the meeting – denounced the spokesman of the junta, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, in a statement read on TV – is to approve a plan of aggression against Niger through an imminent military intervention in Niamey, in collaboration with other countries Africans who are not members of ECOWAS and some Western countries”. Then the spokesman warned: “We want to remind once more Ecowas and any other adventurer of our determination to defend our homeland.”
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