MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2023) France has completed evacuation of its nationals from Niger, French Minister of Defense Sebastien Lecornu said on Thursday, adding that over 1,000 people were brought to Europe from the African country.
France started evacuating its citizens and other nationals shortly after thousands of people took part in a rally against former colonial ruler France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the Nigerien capital of Niamey on Sunday.
"The evacuation of our citizens from Niger has just been completed. 1,079 French and Europeans are now safe," the minister wrote on Twitter.
France has organized a total of five evacuation flights. Apart from 577 French people, 502 nationals of 50 other countries, including Germany, Belgium, Canada, Austria, Portugal, Ethiopia, Niger and India have been evacuated, the French Defense Ministry said in a separate tweet.
On July 26, Niger's presidential guard removed President Mohamed Bazoum from power. The guard's commander, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, proclaimed himself the country's new leader. The French Foreign Ministry said that French President Emmanuel Macron had spoken to Bazoum on Friday and that Paris continued to recognize him as the only legitimate leader of the African country.
