The leader of the military regime, Colonel Major Amadou Abderrahmane, said in a statement read on national television, on Saturday, that “France continues to deploy its forces in a number of ECOWAS countries (the Economic Community of West African States) as part of preparations to launch an aggression against Niger that it plans in cooperation with this group.” (especially) in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Benin.
ECOWAS had threatened to intervene militarily in Niger, to end the coup that occurred weeks ago and to return deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to office, measures supported by Paris.
But in the latest sign of growing hostility toward France among coup supporters, hundreds of protesters set up tents in front of a French military base in the capital, Niamey, over a week, demanding the departure of Paris forces.
The protest began on Saturday, about 5 weeks after the army ousted Bazoum and took control of power in a coup that was met with widespread condemnation abroad, but many celebrated it at home.
Relations between Niger and France, the former coloniser, have deteriorated since Paris described the military junta as illegitimate, sparking anti-European sentiment.
Calls have been launched to expel 1,500 French soldiers stationed in Niger, as part of a large-scale campaign against extremists in the Sahel region of Africa, while France has refused to leave its forces so far.
Marches in support of the military council have been repeated since it took power.
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