France Announces Withdrawal Of Envoy, Troops In Niger Republic

France has shifted its position on the coup in Niger, with President Emmanuel Macron announcing the withdrawal of the French ambassador and military forces from the country.

VerseNews reports that France initially took a hardline stance against the coupists who ousted President Mohamed Bazoum in July but has now opted for dialogue.

President Emmanuel Macron said France would soon withdraw its ambassador from Niger, followed by its military contingent.

France has about 1,500 soldiers in Niger as part of an anti-jihadist deployment in the Sahel region.

In the wake of the coup, France had said its troops would remain in the West African nation despite hostilities by the junta.

“France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,” Macron told French television in an interview on Sunday evening.

He added that military cooperation was over and French troops would withdraw in “the months and weeks to come” with a full pullout by the end of the year.