France to Evacuate Citizens From Niger After Embassy Attack

France is to evacuate its citizens from Niger due to anti-French sentiment following last week’s coup. The coup has prompted demonstrations against the former colonial power, with the French embassy coming under attack. Germany urged its nationals to take up France’s offer to help other Europeans and Italy is also organising a flight. It comes as the juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any forcible attempt to restore the ousted president would be seen as a declaration of war. The two neighbours, also former French colonies, have both moved away from France and towards Russia, after staging their own coups in recent years. On Sunday, protesters outside the French embassy in the capital, Niamey, chanted “Long live Russia”, “Long live Putin” and “Down with France”. They also set fire to the walls of the embassy compound. The French foreign ministry said its evacuations would begin today in view of this situation. It said its decision was also influenced by the closure of Niger’s airspace, which had made it impossible for people to leave by their own means. There are an estimated 600 French nationals in Niger and fewer than 100 Germans. Italy’s foreign ministry says there are around 90 Italians in Niamey out of a total of just under 500 countrywide, most of whom are in the military. According to the Reuters news agency, Spain is also preparing to evacuate more than 70 Spaniards by air.

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