Niger’s military has accused France of gathering forces and equipment in several West African countries with a view to launch a “military intervention” against Niamey.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for Niger’s coup leaders, made the claim on national television late on Saturday.He said France was continuing to deploy its forces in member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as “part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organisation”.
French “military cargo aircraft have enabled large quantities of war material and equipment to be unloaded in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin, to name but a few”, he said.
The claim came as tensions between Niger and France – its former colonial power – rise in the wake of a military coup on July 26.
Paris has stood by deposed President Mohamed Bazoum and refused to comply with Niger’s demands to remove its troops and envoy from the Sahel state.Niger is also embroiled in a standoff with the ECOWAS bloc, which has threatened to intervene militarily if diplomatic pressure to return Bazoum to office fails.
Credit: Aljazeera.com
