France prepared to evacuate French and European nationals from Niger on Tuesday, telling them to carry no more than a small bag, after a military coup there won backing from three other West African nations ruled by mutinous soldiers.
The French Foreign Ministry in Paris cited recent violence that targeted the French Embassy in Niamey, the capital, as one of the reasons for the decision.
"My job is not finished, I hope the situation will finish and one day soon we can come back," a former French military official who is now training the Nigerien army as a civilian told The Associated Press. "This happened very quickly and no one saw this coming. I was really surprised," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons.
ECOWAS suspended all commercial and financial transactions between its member states and Niger, as well as freezing Nigerien assets held in regional central banks. Niger relies heavily on foreign aid, and sanctions could further impoverish its more than 25 million people. Niger's coup will embolden jihadi violence, increase recruitment across the country and threaten regional stability, a former jihadi member said last week.
There has been no clear explanation of the references to Russia, but some demonstrators regard the country as symbolizing their anti-Western feelings. If ECOWAS uses force, it could also trigger violence between civilians supporting the coup and those against it, Niger analysts say. Also Sunday, junta spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane banned the use of social media to put out messages he described as harmful to state security. He also claimed without evidence that Bazoum's government had authorized the French to carry out strikes to free Bazoum.Observers believe Bazoum is being held at his house in Niamey.
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