A French soldier, assigned to the Operation Mentor Liaison Team, conducts communication checks, with rest of his team, prior to departing an Afghanistan National Police station, in Logar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 19, 2009. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. 1st Class Richard W. Jones Jr./Released)
France is gathering forces and equipment in several West African countries with a view to launch a “military intervention” against Niger, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, a spokesman for Niger’s military rulers, said on national television late on September 9.
According to the commander, France continues to deploy its forces in member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as “part of preparations for an aggression against Niger, which it is planning in collaboration with this community organization”.
French “military cargo aircraft have enabled large quantities of war material and equipment to be unloaded in Senegal, Ivory Coast and Benin, to name but a few”, he said.
Tensions between France and Niger’s military has been on the rise since President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown last July,
Paris has stood by deposed President Bazoum and refused to comply with Niger’s demands to remove its troops and envoy from the Sahel state. It also supported plans by the ECOWAS to launch a military intervention in Niger.
A wave of anti-French sentiment followed the military takeover in Niger, with some locals accusing the European country of interfering in their affairs.
Up to 1,500 French troops are still stationed in Niger. Near the capital, Niamey, thousands of people have been holding near-daily demonstrations around a military base housing French troops to demand their departure.
Earlier this month, Paris warned that it will respond to any attack against its military and diplomatic facilities in the country after its ambassador was asked to leave.
Doubling down on his current stance, President Emmanuel Macron said on September 10 that if France ever had to redeploy troops in Niger, it would only do so in coordination with Bazoum, the only leader of the country that France recognises.
“If we ever redeploy… I would do so only at the request of President Bazoum,” Macron told a news conference at the close of a two-day summit of G20 leaders in India.
The United States, who has been backing both France and the ECOWAS, announced just a few days ago that it had withdrawn some of its 1,1000 troops from Niger and repositioned others within the country.
The move came after the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service revealed that Washington was considering the possibility of physically eliminating the leaders of Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, who led the military takeover.
Recent developments suggest that ECOWAS could launch an intervention in Niger with direct support from France and the U.S. This could lead to a major conflict in West Africa, especially considering that several states like Mali and Burkina Faso are standing beside the country’s new military rulers.
if there is an attack on niger, the first thing to do should be to throw their dog bazoum to the crowds so they can lynch the piece of shit, same with all of this local supporters including the frenchie ambassador (fair game since he refused to leave and is practically an enemy agent). after they’ve been dealt with – war against the invaders, victory or death!
if the french agressor attacks innocent niger then the civilized world has to raise sanctions against them and deliver any weapons, intel and training neccesary to kill the invading sodiers. right? i mean how more obvious can it be a white colonial power versus a former black colonie of theirs. every progressive in the world needs to support niger.
france now desperate that unloading a pile of machetes and endless propaganda is not a valid foreign policy any more.
be prepared for the agression off your country. arm the people, put a price on every french, yankee and enemy off your country. send spy/intervention teams to the country who are still slave to the master. track the delivred army stuf and blow it up before it can go to your frontiers. put some fr’ench and foraing people in hostidge . on the first attacs execute them in publicq .
won’t end well for france.
a good thing for many frenchs
mali by vykopať okupantov a to čím skôr. lebo inak hrozí, že sa môže rozpútať vojnový konflikt. treba obkľúčiť kasárne a nikto von a nikto dnu!!! prípade potreby treba použiť aj hrubú silu, ak to inak nepôjde!!!
they want the devil lets give them one, i mean french pigs.
hyenas readying for proxi war: france “spineless jellyfish blub” vs us/uk.
france would invade only after their rugby world cup is over. so niger still has until 29th october to prepare defense.
say france invades niger, how does it handle the backlash from its 5m plus immigrants, mostly from africa?