In a joint statement released by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Armed Forces, it was reported that “new unfounded accusations made by the junta in Niger were unequivocally denied”.
In the statement, it was reminded that French soldiers were deployed in the country at the request of the legitimate Niger authorities to fight terrorism.
Emphasizing that the French soldiers, who have been fighting terrorism in the region for many years, did not release any terrorists and did not attack any position belonging to the Niger army, the statement said, “The Niger army was informed that the Niger airspace will be used, and the Niger army gave written approval to this request.”
The junta accused France of destabilizing the country.
The military junta, which staged a coup in Niger on July 26, accused France of destabilizing the country and announced that France had violated Niger airspace.
In the statement read by the Spokesperson of the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (CNSP), Colonel Amadou Abdramane, it was stated that a position belonging to the Niger army near the Samira district in the Tillaberi region was attacked in the morning hours, and it was emphasized that this attack was planned by terrorists released by France in June.
It was also noted in the declaration that a French plane taking off from Chad’s capital, Enjamine, violated Niger airspace in the morning.
Niger airspace was closed until further notice on 6 August in case of a possible attack by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
coup in Niger
In Niger, President Mohammed Bazum was detained by elements of the Presidential Guard Regiment on July 26, and that evening the military announced that he had seized power.
General Abdurrahmane Tchiani, Commander of the Presidential Guard Regiment, assumed the leadership of the National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (CNSP) junta on July 28 and became the head of the transitional government.