The M62 movement, an anti-French small group at the origin of the demonstrations against the French embassy last Sunday in Niamey, called in a press release published Tuesday evening on the putschists to condition the departure of European nationals on the “immediate departure of foreign military forces “. On Tuesday, a joint operation by the Quai d’Orsay and the Ministry of the Armed Forces enabled two military planes to take off from Niamey carrying French and Europeans wishing to leave the territory. The M62 claims to have taken this decision after having “learned through the airwaves of RFI and France 24” the evacuation of French nationals.
The Élysée had taken this decision following a pro-junta rally three days earlier, during which thousands of demonstrators massed in front of the French embassy, chanting anti-French slogans. The embassy plaque was taken down and trampled on to be replaced by Russian flags.
Resuming the accusation of a project of “military intervention” made Monday by the junta with regard to Paris, the M62 called for a “peaceful, every day” gathering of the population on the road to the airport, “until the final departure of the foreign forces” present in Niger. In addition to the 1,500 French soldiers present since the redeployment of Operation Barkhane, German and American forces are also on Niger soil.
The small group also calls for the “suspension of RFI and France 24 (sic) in Niger”, two French channels that the neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina have also alternately suspended in recent months.
