France to evacuate citizens from Niger

France said it would start an evacuation effort on Tuesday, Aug. 1, from Niger for its citizens and citizens of other European nations, nearly a week after a military junta seized power.

France’s foreign ministry said in a statement the decision to carry out the evacuations was prompted by violence against the French Embassy in Niamey and the closure of Niger’s airspace. The ministry said French citizens were left unable to leave the country on their own.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on social media Tuesday that Italy also was offering its citizens in Niamey a special evacuation flight.

The regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions against the coup leaders and said it could use force to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum if he is not returned to power.

The United States and European Union have also called for Bazoum’s government to be reinstated immediately.

Burkina Faso and Mali, two of Niger’s neighbors operating under military governments, issued a joint statement Monday saying any military action against Niger would be considered “a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali.”

Guinea, another neighboring junta-led country, expressed its opposition to the ECOWAS sanctions and the possibility of military intervention.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. (VOA)