NIAMEY (AFP) – Niger’s coup leaders have said France is gathering forces, war materials and equipment in several neighboring West African countries with a view to “military intervention”.
Relations with France, Niger’s former colonial power, degraded after Paris stood by ousted president Mohamed Bazoum following the July coup.
“France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) countries as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization,” Niger’s regime spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said.
The Sahel state is also embroiled in a standoff with the West African bloc ECOWAS, which has threatened to intervene militarily if diplomatic pressure to return Bazoum to office fails.
In his statement, Abdramane said France had deployed military aircraft, helicopters and 40 armored vehicles to Cote d’Ivoire and Benin.
“Military cargo aircraft have enabled large quantities of war material and equipment to be unloaded in Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire and Benin, to name but a few,” he added.
On August 3, Niger’s coup leaders renounced several military cooperation agreements with France, which has about 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country as part of a wider fight against militants.
The military meanwhile maintains France’s forces are now “illegally” stationed in Niger.
On Tuesday, a Paris defence ministry source told AFP that the French army was in talks with the military over withdrawing “elements” of its presence in Niger, confirming comments made the previous day by the Niger’s regime-appointed Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine.
Every day for more than a week, thousands of people have gathered in the Nigerien capital Niamey around a military base housing French soldiers to demand their departure.
The United States, which has around 1,100 soldiers in Niger, has begun to relocate its troops from Niamey to the central city of Agadez, the U.S. Department of Defense said this week.
France is engaged in a tug-of-war with Niger, which has also withdrawn the diplomatic immunity of French ambassador Sylvain Itte and ordered police to expel him.