France has said that its 1,500 soldiers in Niger are not part of the group scheduled for evacuation from the West African country.
A senior official in the French armed forces told AFP news agency on Tuesday that airlifting the soldiers out of Niger was “not on the agenda.”
The source added that three French military Airbus planes were on their way to Niger’s capital, Niamey, to pick up French citizens.
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna has revealed that a first flight to evacuate French citizens from Niger took off on Tuesday evening with 262 people on board. The evacuees included a dozen babies, Colonna told AFP.
Other nations plan evacuation
The minister further said three planes were deployed to Niamey for the evacuation operation. Colonna said the aircraft will “bring back French and European citizens wishing to leave Niger.”
Besides France, other European countries, including Italy, have also announced that they will airlift their citizens from Niger.
Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum was deposed by members of the Presidential Guard on July 26. The mutinous soldiers, led by Abdourahamane Tchiani, cited insecurity and poor economy as the reasons for Bazoum’s ouster.
Tchiani has since declared himself the transitional president of Niger despite opposition by different quarters, including the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
