The military government in Niger, which seized control in July, accused France of stationing troops in various West African countries in preparation for “military intervention,” AFP reports.
“France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) countries as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization,” regime spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane reportedly said in a statement broadcast on national television.
Relations with France, Niger’s former colonial power, deteriorated quickly when Paris supported overthrown president Mohamed Bazoum in the aftermath of the July coup.
Source: AFP
