Niger’s new military leaders accused France of amassing forces for a possible military intervention in the country following the coup in July.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday that he would only take action at the demand of deposed Nigerien leader Mohamed Bazoum. Niger’s junta spokesman, Maj. Amadou Abdramane, said that France is also considering collaborating in such an intervention with the Economic Community of West African States, a regional bloc known as ECOWAS. “France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS countries as part of preparations for an aggression against Niger,” Abdramane said late Saturday in a statement broadcast on state television. Macron said he wouldn’t directly respond to the junta’s claim when asked about it after the Group of 20 summit.
