Niger Coup Leaders: France Destabilizing Country

By Staff, Agencies

Coup leaders in Niger have accused French forces of freeing captured “terrorists” and breaching a ban on the country’s air space in an attempt to destabilize Niger, as France promptly rejected the allegations.

Soldiers from the country’s presidential guard seized power and detained President Mohammad Bazoum on July 26, triggering international condemnation and the threat of a military incursion by neighboring West African nations. The coup leaders closed Nigerien air space on Sunday and have warned against any foreign intervention.

In a video address on Wednesday, the coup leaders’ spokesperson, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, claimed France had released 16 “terrorist elements” who had then gathered to plan an attack on Nigerien military positions in areas along the border.

He claimed that a unit of the National Guard was attacked at 6:30am [05:30 GMT] in Bourkou Bourkou, about 30 kilometers [18.6 miles] away from the Samira gold mine in the Tillaberi region.

The colonel also claimed that a French military plane breached a ban on the country’s airspace.

“We are witnessing a real plan of destabilization of our country, orchestrated by French forces,” Abdramane said. The spokesperson did not provide any evidence for the claims.

France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs rejected the accusations and said its aircraft movements were part of an earlier agreement with Nigerien forces, the Reuters news agency reported.

It said French troops stationed in Niger were there at the request of the legitimate authorities.

“No attack against a Nigerien camp took place,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.