Space Travel News
AFRICA NEWS
Niger's military rulers say French army's exit operation starts Tuesday
Niger's military rulers say French army's exit operation starts Tuesday
by AFP Staff Writers
Niamey, Niger (AFP) Oct 9, 2023

Niger's military rulers have said a first convoy of French troops will on Tuesday begin preparations to leave the Sahel country, after the leaders of a coup ordered them out.

The announcement comes as Algeria decided to "postpone" mediation efforts to find a way out of the crisis.

"Operations for the departure of the first convoy escorted by our defence and security forces will begin tomorrow," said a statement read on state television Monday.

The statement did not specify the destination of the convoy.

The withdrawal of some 1,400 French troops had been demanded by Niger's ruling generals shortly after they seized power at the end of July.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who had sought to make a special ally of Niger, said in September that the troops would exit "by the end of the year", complying with a demand by the new regime.

The French soldiers are in Niger as part of a wider fight against jihadists across the Sahel region.

After some meetings and "exchanges between our authorities and the French side, a timetable for the withdrawal of their troops has been determined with mutual agreement", Monday's statement said.

Over the weekend, there were several convoys moving between bases in the northwest near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali where 400 troops are deployed, as well as in the capital Niamey, Nigerien and French security sources said.

At least two convoys have since been permitted to re-supply the Ouallam and Tabarey-Barey bases and several French soldiers have been considered priorities to be moved to Niamey.

The French troops have been living with uncertainty since the new regime began demanding their departure, with irregular supplies of food and repeated anti-French demonstrations outside the Niamey base.

The way out for troops in Niger remains unclear with land borders with Benin and Nigeria closed.

The Niger regime has also banned French civilian and military aircraft from flying over its territory without special authorisation.

Borders have reopened with Algeria, Libya, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad, where a French command is based in the capital N'Djamena.

- Algerian mediation -

The July 26 coup against Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum was the third such putsch in the region in as many years.

It followed similar actions in fellow former French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Nigeria on Thursday welcomed an Algerian offer to mediate talks with the military regime, which includes a proposed six-month transition period.

But Algeria announced on Monday that it would "postpone" the talks "until it obtained clarifications" concerning the implementation of Algerian mediation in Niger.

Earlier this month, the Niger's new leaders said that the timeframe of a transition back to civilian rule would be determined by an "inclusive national" dialogue.

The new strongman, General Abdourahamane Tiani, had said shortly after coming into power that a transition period would last a maximum of three years.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Kenya's Ruto to ask China for $1bn loan, debt restructure
Nairobi (AFP) Oct 6, 2023
Kenyan President William Ruto will ask China for a $1-billion loan and a restructured debt payment plan, his deputy said Friday, despite having criticised his predecessor's heavy borrowing from Beijing. One of East Africa's largest economies, Kenya has accumulated more than 10.1 trillion shillings ($68 billion) in debt, a figure equivalent to 67 percent of its gross domestic product. The cost of servicing the debt, mainly to China, has ballooned as Kenya's currency has fallen to record lows of a ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
AFRICA NEWS
Light rocks on deck, gray rocks in the hole: Sols 3966-3697

NASA's Perseverance captures dust-filled Martian whirlwind

Double DRT for a Soliday: Sols 3964-3965:

Dust removal delayed: Sols 3962-3963

AFRICA NEWS
China's next robotic lunar probe open to foreign science payloads

China invites Chang'e-8 lunar probe mission global collaboration

Lunar ambitions boost space funding as investment set to reach $33 billion by 2032

NASA to begin critical testing of updated engines for future Artemis missions

AFRICA NEWS
Large mound structures on Kuiper belt object Arrokoth may have common origin

Plot thickens in the hunt for a ninth planet

Webb finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter's moon Europa

Hidden ocean the source of CO2 on Jupiter moon

AFRICA NEWS
James Webb telescope captures planet-like structures in Orion Nebula

Study sheds new light on strange lava worlds

JWST's first spectrum of a TRAPPIST-1 planet

Alien Machines in the Solar System: The Possibilities and Potential Origins

AFRICA NEWS
EU warns Musk's X spreading 'illegal' disinfo after Hamas attack

Rocket Lab opens engine development center in Long Beach

Vega-C Zefiro40 Test: Independent Enquiry

Spain's MIURA 1 launch campaign kicks off

AFRICA NEWS
Astronauts honored for contributions to China's space program

China capable of protecting astronauts from effects of space weightlessness

Tianzhou 5 spacecraft burns up on Earth reentry

Crew of Shenzhou XV mission honored for six-month space odyssey

AFRICA NEWS
SwRI scientists use Webb, Sofia telescopes to observe metallic asteroid

Initial curation of NASA's OSIRIS-REx sample delayed

Hera takes wing

Likely asteroid debris found upon opening of returned NASA probe

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.