France began evacuating hundreds of French and European citizens from Niger amid ongoing unrest following last week's coup.
France has started evacuating its citizens from Niger after a military coup. According to French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, the first flight with over 260 individuals has left the capital, Niamey late on Tuesday.
France has sent three planes to Niamey to evacuate French and European citizens in the wake of a coup last week that toppled pro-Western leader Mohamed Bazoum.
"Considering the ongoing coup in Niger and the fact that the situation continues to be worrying, we decided to make sure that the French citizens who want to leave Niger can do so," Colonna said.
Italy also said it would send a special flight to repatriate its nationals from the capital Niamey. Spain's Defense Ministry announced preparations to evacuate more than 70 nationals.
Germans to evacuate with French mission
Germany advised citizens to leave the country, asking them to board flights along with French nationals from Niamey.
"We can confirm that our French colleagues have offered, within the limits of available capacity, to take German nationals on board their flights from Niger," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
"The top priority for the federal government at this time is, of course, the safety of German nationals in the country. As in previous crises, we are coordinating closely with France and our other European partners in this regard," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement.
On Monday, Berlin said it was suspending bilateral cooperation with Niger, but added that there were no immediate plans to evacuate German citizens.
There are currently some 100 members of the German military, or Bundeswehr, in Niger to assist in training local forces.
France warns against attacks on citizens
There are about 500 French nationals in Niger and around 1,500 French troops in the country.
French troops have been present in Niger for a decade to fight against surging Islamist insurgencies in the Sahel. Niger had been one of the last democracies in the fraught region.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday vowed "immediate and uncompromising" action if French citizens or interests were attacked, after thousands rallied outside the French embassy in Niamey.
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Niger gained independence from France in 1960 and has seen several coups -- both successful and unsuccessful.
Tense political climate in Niger
In 2019, Bazoum was elected president in Niger's first peaceful transfer of power since it gained independence.
He was removed from power after being detained by members of his own presidential guard last week.
General Abdourahmane Tchiani, who staged the coup, then declared himself as head of the state, drawing condemnation from former colonial power France, the EU and the US.
The fight for power has created a tense political climate in Niger, with supporters of the junta burning French flags and attacking the French embassy in capital Niamey over the weekend.
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a statement saying any attacks on the institutions of the French state in Niger would be met with a "swift and uncompromising response."
A coalition of West African nations, ECOWAS, has threatened military intervention if Bazoum was not reinstated by August 6.
Neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, also ruled by militant governments, have thrown their support behind the coup leaders.
Both of those countries ordered the departure of French troops and have also moved closer to working with Russia's Wagner mercenary group.
rm/wmr,lo (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
