ALBAWABA - French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France will be withdrawing its troops and ambassador from Niger, following the military coup in July that resulted in the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum.
Macron said in a televised interview on Sunday that: "France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the next hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France,".
Macron went on to add that military cooperation was "over" and that 1,500 French troops stationed in the country would withdraw in "the months and weeks to come" with a full pullout "by the end of the year".
The withdrawal comes weeks after pressure from the ruling junta for France to "pull out" of the West African country. Thousands of people have demonstrated in the city of Niamey in recent weeks, particularly outside a military base housing French soldiers protesting French presence in their country.
The Junta released a statement on Sunday read on national TV saying: "This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger. This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people".
Macron stated that he still considered ousted Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, who is presently being held captive by the coup leaders, to be the country's "sole legitimate authority," and that he had notified him of his decision. He called the ousted president a "hostage".
"He was targeted by this coup d'etat because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a largely ethnic settling of scores and a lot of political cowardice," Macron added.
Earlier in August, the Niger Junta announced cutting off all water, food, and electricity supply in a move to pressure the French ambassador to leave the country.
Anadolu news agency reported at the time that the president of the National Support Committee for the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country (CNSP), Elh Issa Hassoumi Boureima, has asked all partners of French bases in Niger to suspend all water and electricity supplies and food products.
