NIAMEY, Niger - July 30, 2023: Coup supporters take to the streets carrying Nigerien and Russian flags after the army seized power in Niger.
LONDON — West African leaders on Sunday threatened military action against the junta that seized power last week in a coup in Niger, as protesters carrying Russian flags stormed the French embassy in capital city Niamey.
The U.S. and France, which have troops stationed in Niger, called for calm, but strongly condemned the coup, along with much of the international community.
Thousands of Nigeriens took to the streets on Sunday in support of the coup, with many carrying Russian flags and chanting pro-Putin messages.
Images purporting to be from the scene, which CNBC could not independently verify, showed fires outside the French embassy in Niamey, along with French flags being burned and projectiles thrown at the former colonial power's mission.
Persons:
Mohamed Bazoum, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, Bazoum's, Mahamadou, Bazoum, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, Nigeriens, Dmitry Peskov, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin
Organizations:
West, Sunday, National Council, Fatherland, CNBC, Reuters, Wagner Group, Kremlin
Locations:
NIAMEY, Niger, Russian, LONDON, Niamey, U.S, France, Moscow, Africa