Niger's military rulers have welcomed the announcement that France will pull its troops out of the country by the end of the year as "a new step towards sovereignty".
The statement came hours after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that Paris would soon withdraw its ambassador from Niger, followed by its military contingent in the coming months.
"This Sunday, we celebrate a new step towards the sovereignty of Niger," said a statement from the country's military rulers, who seized power in late July by overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
There have been growing demonstrations by thousands of pro-coup Nigeriens demanding the exit of the French forces who have been engaged in anti-terror campaign in the Sahel region for years.
'We are happy'
"The French troops and the ambassador of France will leave Nigerien soil by the end of the year," the statement read out on national television added.
"This is a historic moment, which speaks to the determination and will of the Nigerien people," the junta said.
Thousands of Nigeriens have been protesting demanding the exit of the French troops. Some of them welcomed the decision by France.
"We are really happy because we are fighting against the presence of French forces in Niger. We want them to leave our country. I am very happy. We have been here for almost two months. We stay up all night here," Balkissa Ousseini said on Sunday night at the protest venue in Niamey.
"We thank the good Lord. The Nigeriens are accused of not having the courage but we have shown that we are determined until the end. We are really happy with ourselves, Nigeriens," another demonstrator Hassane Rahilatou said.
Aircraft ban
Earlier Sunday, before Macron's announcement, the body regulating aviation safety in Africa (ASECNA), announced that Niger's military rulers had banned "French aircraft" from flying over the country's airspace.
France has 1,500 troops in Niger. It is not exactly clear whether they will be evacuated to France or another country in Africa.
Macron said France, the former colonial power in Niger, would not allow itself to "be held hostage by the putchists".
Dwindling influence
France's exit, which comes after weeks of pressure from the junta and popular demonstrations, is likely to exacerbate Western concerns over Russia's expanding influence in Africa. The Russian mercenary force Wagner is already present in Niger's neighbour Mali.
The French president has refused to recognise the junta as Niger's legitimate authority but said Paris would coordinate troop withdraw with the coup leaders.
French influence over its former colonies has waned in West Africa in recent years, just as popular vitriol has grown.
Its forces have been kicked out of neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso since coups in those countries, reducing its role in a region-wide fight against deadly Islamist insurgencies.
Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of France and the United States, which have used it as a base to fight an insurgency in West and Central Africa's wider Sahel region.
