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☆ French Troops Begin Withdrawal From Niger
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

NIAMEY (Reuters) - French military convoys have begun withdrawing from bases in southwest Niger, marking the start of a departure demanded by Niger's junta that has dealt a further blow to France's influence in West Africa's conflict-hit Sahel region. Pickup trucks and armoured personnel carriers laden with French troops drove through the dusty outskirts of the capital Niamey on Tuesday, a Reuters reporter said, after the junta late on Monday said the withdrawal would kick off the following day. A few dozen French servicemen flew out of Niger on a military plane on Monday, an airport worker and two other sources familiar with the flight said. A joint France-Niger withdrawal plan, seen by Reuters, said Niger's military would provide security back-up to the French convoys withdrawing by land. (Reporting by Abdel-Kader Mazou and Boureima Balima; Additional reporting and writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Alessandra Prentice and Jonathan Oatis)

Persons: Monday, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Hereward Holland, Alessandra Prentice, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Niger's, Reuters Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, West, Niamey, Chad, France, Mali, Burkina Faso, Africa

But in an about turn, Macron announced on Sunday that the ambassador would return to Paris and French troops would leave. Two security sources in Niger said Itte had flown out of the country. Demonstrators hold placards and Niger's flags as they gather outside Niger's embassy in support of the President of Niger Mohamed Bazoum in Paris, France, August 5, 2023. Crowds of junta supporters have spent days camping outside a French military base to demand the troops' departure. Some analysts have expressed concern that the withdrawal of French troops from Niger could further hamper Western efforts to stem the violence, which has risen since the coups, and bolster Russian influence in the region.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Sylvain Itte, Mohamed Bazoum, Macron, Itte, Catherine Colonna, Yucouba Abdou, Abdou, Niger Mohamed Bazoum, Stephanie Lecocq, Paris, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Moussa Aksar, Michel Rose, John Irish, Sofia Christensen, Anait, Toby Chopra, Estelle Shirbon, Philippa Fletcher, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Niger, Quai, French, Nigerien, Reuters, REUTERS, France, Thomson Locations: Niger French, NIAMEY, Niger, Paris, France, Niamey, French, N'Djamena, Niger's, West Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Sahel

☆ French Ambassador to Niger Has Left the Country - Security Sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

NIAMEY (Reuters) - France's ambassador in Niger was flown out of the country early on Wednesday morning, two security sources said, around one month after the military government ordered his expulsion. The junta that seized power in a July coup ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country within 48 hours at the end of August in response to what they called actions by France "contrary to the interests of Niger". But the order was at first ignored by France, who has refused to recognise the coup leaders, triggering daily protests in front of the French embassy. French President Emmanuel Macron said this month that Itte and his staff were effectively being held hostage at the embassy. Over the weekend, Macron said the ambassador was being pulled out and would return to France.

Persons: Sylvain Itte, Emmanuel Macron, Itte, Macron, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Toby Chopra Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, French, France

"The public in West African countries has become increasingly wary of hosting a Western military presence," said Mucahid Durmaz, a senior analyst at London-based risk firm Verisk Maplecroft. "The French exit from Niger will push Western troops further away from the central Sahel." The U.S. has refused to call the Niger takeover a coup, meaning it can avoid severing ties for now. Unlike France, American forces do not actively engage with Niger forces against Islamist militants and could be open to working within a transition to civilian rule. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the French military base in the capital calling for the troops' departure.

Persons: Mahamadou, Mucahid Durmaz, Verisk, Emmanuel Macron, Russia's, Washington's, Defence Lloyd Austin, Washington, Nathaniel Powell, Joe Biden, Macron, Aissami Tchiroma, It's, Oxford Analytica, Paris, Jalel Harchaoui, John Irish, Edward McAllister, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Andrew Gray, George Obulutsa, Andrew Heavens Organizations: French Army, REUTERS, London, Russia's Wagner, Defence, Oxford, Protesters, France, Military, Royal United Services Institute, Thomson Locations: France, Nigerien, Niamey, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger PARIS, DAKAR, West Africa, West, Russia, United States, Libya, The U.S, Nairobi, American, West African, Afghanistan, AFRICA, French, Africa, It's, CHAD, GUINEA France, Chad, Paris, Sahel, Europe, Ukraine, Italy, Germany, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Gabon, London, Brussels

☆ Crowds Camp in Front of Niger French Army Base to Press for Troop Departure
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters have been camping outside a French military base in Niger's capital Niamey for the past six days to demand the troops' departure, the latest sign of swelling anti-French sentiment among supporters of a military coup in July. Relations between Niger and its former coloniser France have worsened since Paris declared the junta illegitimate, stoking anti-French sentiment. There have been calls for around 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger as part of a wider fight against an Islamist insurgency in the Sahel to leave the country. But the crowd in front of the French military has swelled and is showing no sign of leaving. On Friday, protesters celebrated Muslim midday prayers that are usually held in a mosque in front of the base.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Aissa Seyni, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Alex Richardson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger's, Niamey, Niger, France, Paris, headscarves

☆ Crowds camp in front of Niger French army base to press for troop departure
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nigerian army officers are seen as faithfuls perform their Friday prayers in front of the French army base in Niamey, Niger September 8, 2023. Relations between Niger and its former coloniser France have worsened since Paris declared the junta illegitimate, stoking anti-French sentiment. There have been calls for around 1,500 French troops stationed in Niger as part of a wider fight against an Islamist insurgency in the Sahel to leave the country. But the crowd in front of the French military has swelled and is showing no sign of leaving. On Friday, protesters celebrated Muslim midday prayers that are usually held in a mosque in front of the base.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Aissa Seyni, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, Niger's, France, Paris, headscarves

[1/2] Thousands of young Nigeriens gather as they heed call to sign up as non-military volunteers to back up the junta in the capital Niamey, Niger August 19, 2023. That is what made us halt this census," Hima said by the stadium after the crowds dispersed. POSSIBLE ATTACK"They called on the youth to respond to a possible attack on our soil. An ECOWAS delegation flew into Niamey on Saturday to hold talks with the junta, showing that efforts to resolve the standoff peacefully are still underway. At the stadium on Saturday, 35-year-old Kader Haliou said patriotism was not the only motivation for those wanting to help the junta.

Persons: Mahamadou, Mohamed Bazoum, Younoussa Hima, Hima, Tahirou Seydou, nodded, Kader Haliou, Alessandra Prentice, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, Young People, Fatherland, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, World Bank, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, NIAMEY, West, Africa's

☆ Niger's tailors rush to make Russian flags after coup
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The flags have been in demand since President Mohamed Bazoum was toppled late last month in a military takeover, leading to some Russian support among crowds that celebrated the coup. It echoes similar outpourings of pro-Russian sentiments after recent military takeovers in other West African countries, worrying Western powers who see their influence slipping in some old regional allies. He said the flags of neighboring Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali, where military takeovers have also occurred since 2020, were also popular. Citizens in Burkina Faso also waved Russian flags during violent anti-France demonstrations that followed a coup in September 2022, the second in the country that year. "Before the coup d'etat I didn't know the Russian flag," he added.

Persons: Yahaya, Mohamed Bazoum, Oumarou, Okacha Abdoul, Aziz, Boureima Balima, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Sandra Maler Organizations: Citizens, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niamey, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Russia, West Africa, France, Sahel, Russian

An aerial view of traffic on a street in the capital Niamey, Niger July 28, 2023. In a sign of this resistance to one-time allies, Niger on Thursday suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets France 24 and RFI - drawing condemnation from the French foreign ministry. One of the demonstrators in Niamey held a placard that said: "Long live Niger, Russia, Mali and Burkina. After their coups, Burkina Faso and Mali kicked out French troops, many of whom are now stationed in Niger. In Niger, there are signs that regional sanctions are starting to have an impact: Nigeria has cut power supplies to Niger, while Nigerien truckers have been stranded by border closures.

Persons: General Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, crackdowns, Sall, Antony Blinken, it's, Allah, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Moussa Aksar, Camillus Eboh, Thiam, Tiemoko Diallo, Ange Aboa, Alessandra Prentice, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Emelia, Nick Macfie, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, Niger's, France, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, Sunday, EU, National Assembly, Islamic, Niger, Reuters, West, Senegalese, U.S, United Nations, Nigerien, CFA, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, NIAMEY, ABUJA, France, West, Central Africa, Russia, Burkina, Down, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Niger ., Nigeria, Senegal, Nigerian, China, Paris

It has taken its hardest line yet with Niger, saying it had to show that it "cannot only bark but can bite". One of the demonstrators in Niamey held a placard that said: "Long live Niger, Russia, Mali and Burkina. France has between 1,000 and 1,500 troops in Niger, helping to fight an Islamist insurgency that has spread across the region. INTERVENTION PLANWest African defence chiefs meeting in Nigeria were due to conclude their discussions about possible intervention in Niger, although they have said this would be a last resort. The goal of the two-day meeting was to draw up a plan for an eventual military intervention to restore constitutional order, according to a statement from Ivory Coast's National Security Council.

Persons: General Abdourahamane Tiani, Mohamed Bazoum, Tiani, Ivory, Salifou Mody, Joe Biden, Nigeriens, Camillus Eboh, Thiam Ndiaga, Tiemoko Diallo, Ange Aboa, Alessandra Prentice, Nellie Peyton, Alexander Winning, Emelia, Nick Macfie, Giles Elgood Organizations: REUTERS, West, Economic, West African States, EU, Reuters, Ivory Coast's National Security Council, ECOWAS, juntas, Nigerien, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Niamey, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, NIAMEY, ABUJA, West, Central Africa, Russia, Burkina, Down, France, Nigeria, Nigerian, West Africa, Guinea, Bissau, al Qaeda, Islamic State, Paris

It has yet to disburse a $131.5 million loan to Niger that was approved on July 5, it added. The interior minister, transport minister, and a deputy had already been detained, it added. The arrests confirm the "repressive and dictatorial" nature of the coup leaders, the party said in a statement, calling on citizens to come together to protect democracy. The arrests were announced a day after Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby arrived in Niger to try to mediate between the coup leaders and the ousted government. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, last week welcomed the coup in Niger, and said his forces were available to restore order.

Persons: Niger's, Mohamed Bazoum, Mahamane Sani Mahamadou, Issoufou Mahamadou, Mahamat Idriss Deby, Deby, Bazoum, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Abdourahamane Tiani, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Antonio Tajani, Boureima Balima, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Anait Miridzhanian, Bate Felix, Nellie Peyton, Sofia Christensen, Alexander Winning, Bernadette Baum, Andrew Heavens, Nick Macfie Organizations: International Monetary Fund, IMF, CFA, West, African Union, European Union, Islamic, Junta, Nigerien Party for Democracy and, Chadian, ECOWAS, EU, REUTERS, Twitter, French Foreign Ministry, Paris, White, Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, West, Central Africa, United States, France, Islamic State, al Qaeda, EU, U.S, Nigerien, Niamey, Mali, Burkina Faso, Russia, Niger's

NIAMEY, July 26 (Reuters) - Niger presidential guards are holding President Mohamed Bazoum inside the presidential palace in the capital, which has been blocked off by military vehicles since Wednesday morning, security sources said. The movements have the semblance of four military takeovers that have hit neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso since 2020. Ministries next to the palace have also been blocked off, and staff inside the palace have not been able to access to their offices, presidency and security sources said. The rest of Niamey appeared calm, with normal morning traffic on the road and full internet access, a Reuters reporter said. There was also a thwarted coup attempt in Niger in March 2021, when a military unit tried to seize the presidential palace days before Bazoum was due to be sworn in.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Bazoum, Moussa Aksar, Boureima Balima, Abdel, Kader Mazou, Sofia Christensen, Andrew Heavens, Alexander Winning, Nick Macfie Organizations: Thomson Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niamey

☆ Over 1 million may flee Sudan conflict, UN refugee agency says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GENEVA, June 27 (Reuters) - The U.N. refugee agency warned on Tuesday that an earlier projection that conflict in Sudan would prompt 1 million people to flee across its borders is likely to be surpassed. He did not give details on how far above 1 million he expected refugee numbers fleeing abroad to reach. The United Nations estimates more than 2.5 million people have been uprooted since April, most within Sudan. A Sudanese refugee who has fled the violence in Sudan's Darfur region, sits at her makeshift shelter near the border between Sudan and Chad in Koufroun, Chad May 15, 2023. The UNHCR has already had to revise its forecast for people fleeing into Chad from Sudan to 245,000 from 100,000 people, he said.

Persons: Mazou, Chad, Zohra, El Geneina, There's, Emma Farge, Alison Williams Organizations: Central African, UNHCR, Operations, United Nations, REUTERS, Rapid Support Forces, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Sudan, Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Central, Central African Republic, Darfur, Sudan ., Sudan's Darfur, Koufroun, Khartoum

[1/3] Smoke rises above buildings after an aerial bombardment, during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan, May 1, 2023. "It's been four days without electricity and our situation is difficult," said 48-year-old Othman Hassan from the southern outskirts of the city. Despite multiple ceasefire declarations, the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) appeared to be fighting for territory ahead of proposed talks. The army and RSF, which had shared power after a coup in 2021, have accused each other of breaching a string of truces. The U.N. has pressed the warring sides to guarantee safe passage of aid after six of its trucks were looted.

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