Niger rally seeks French troops' withdrawal

NIAMEY, Niger - Thousands of people have rallied in Niger's capital Niamey demanding that the former colonial ruler France withdraw its troops as sought by the military that seized power in July.

The protesters gathered near a base housing French soldiers on Saturday following a call by several civic organizations hostile to the French military presence in the West African country.

They held up banners proclaiming "French army leave our country",Agence France-Presse reported.

The demonstration was bolstered by fresh arrivals in the afternoon,and a dense crowd formed at a roundabout near the French military base on the outskirts of Niamey.

"We are ready to sacrifice ourselves today because we are proud,"one demonstrator, Yacouba Issoufou, said. "They plundered our resources and we became aware. So they're going to get out."

Niger's military had launched a broadside against France on Friday,accusing the country of "blatant interference" by backing Niger's ousted president.

The military in Niger detained President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26. Bazoum assumed office in 2021 after winning the elections.

Anti-French sentiment has risen in Niger since the coup and soured further recently when France ignored the military's order for its ambassador, Sylvain Itte, to leave, Reuters reported. Police have been instructed to expel him, the military said.

France's President Emmanuel Macron on Friday said: "The decisions we will take … will be based upon exchanges with Bazoum."

Niger's military denounced the comments as divisive and said they served only to perpetuate France's neocolonial relationship.

Niger's military announced on Aug 3 the suspension of various military cooperation agreements with France, which has about 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country. The United States and European countries also have troops stationed in the country.

The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the governing body the military set up after the coup, issued a statement saying it had revoked five agreements signed by the two countries between 1997 and 2020 because of "France's casual attitude and reaction to the internal situation" in Niger.

Agencies - Xinhua