Thibaud Hue, with AFP / Photo credits: AFP
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6:25 p.m., August 11, 2023
On Friday, thousands of supporters of the military regime that emerged from a coup in Niger gathered near the French military base in Niamey, chanting slogans hostile to France. This rally is held the day after an ECOWAS summit that gave the green light to a possible military intervention.
Thousands of supporters of the military regime resulting from a coup d’etat in Niger gathered peacefully near the French military base in Niamey on Friday, chanting slogans hostile to France, journalists from the AFP. “Down with France, down with ECOWAS”, chanted the demonstrators during this rally which is held the day after a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which gave the green light to a possible military intervention to restore the president overthrown on July 26, Mohamed Bazoum.
Russian and Nigerian flags waved
They also waved Russian and Nigerien flags and shouted their support for the soldiers who took power, in particular their leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani. “We are going to make the French leave! ECOWAS is not independent, it is a manipulation of France, there is an outside influence,” said Aziz Rabeh Ali, a member of a student union supporting the military regime.
The rally was still in progress at the end of the afternoon and was taking place peacefully, according to AFP journalists.
1,500 men deployed by France in Niger
Since taking power, the military have taken France as their main target, accusing it of being behind the scenes at the origin of the ECOWAS decision to activate and deploy its “waiting force” in Niger. to restore constitutional order.
France, an ally of Niger before the coup and unwavering support of the overthrown president, is deploying in this country some 1,500 men engaged with the Nigerien army in the fight against the jihadist groups which undermine a large part of the Sahel. They are partly stationed at a base in Niamey, together with the Niger army.