Niger’s new military leadership has raised concerns about France amassing forces for a potential military intervention in the country following the July coup. The junta spokesman, Maj. Amadou Abdramane, has accused France of preparing for aggression against Niger, citing the deployment of French forces in several Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded by stating that any action by France would only be taken at the demand of deposed Nigerien leader Mohamed Bazoum. Macron emphasized that France’s actions would be in coordination with Bazoum, not the junta currently holding power.
However, Macron expressed full support for ECOWAS, which has indicated that a military intervention is under consideration to reinstate Bazoum as president. Since the coup that ousted Bazoum, the junta has capitalized on anti-French sentiment within the population, calling for the withdrawal of the French ambassador and troops. This move has garnered domestic support while resisting international and regional pressure to restore the deposed president.
Niger, a former French colony, had been a crucial partner of France and the West in combating growing jihadi violence in the conflict-prone Sahel region, situated below the Sahara Desert.
The junta spokesman’s claims regarding French military deployments in countries like Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Benin have not been independently verified by The Associated Press. Nonetheless, the National Council for the Protection of the Fatherland and the transitional government in Niger have urged the nation’s citizens to remain vigilant and resolute until French troops depart from their territory.
French military spokesperson Col. Pierre Gaudilliere revealed that there are now fewer than the 1,500 French troops previously stationed in Niger, where they had been collaborating with Nigerien security forces to combat jihadi violence. Since the coup, all French activities have been suspended, and declarations made earlier by France regarding its actions have been focused on exploring potential future actions with these capabilities.
