REUTERS/Remo CasilliPARIS, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The first military planes carrying mostly European nationals evacuated from Niger landed in Paris and Rome on Wednesday, with France and other countries expected to fly more of their citizens out of the West African country after last week's coup.
With the risk of conflict escalating, France, the former colonial power, Italy and Spain said they would evacuate citizens by air.
The first French flight left Niger on Tuesday evening and landed in Paris early on Wednesday with 262 people on board, according to Reuters journalists there.
An Italian military plane carrying 87 evacuees from Niger arrived in Rome early on Wednesday, according to Reuters journalists at the airport.
The United States, Germany, and Italy also have troops in Niger on counter-insurgency and training missions.
Persons:
Remo Casilli PARIS, Niger's, Mohamed Bazoum, Charles, Manuel Ausloos, Antonio Denti, Remo Casilli, Shivani, Michel Rose, Sandra Maler, Robert Birsel
Organizations:
Ciampino, REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
Niger, Rome, Italy, Paris, France, West, Central Africa, Spain, Italian, Britain, Hungary, Senegal, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, United States, Germany, Shivani Tanna, Bengaluru