Niger Republic Military Junta Accuses France Of Planning Strikes To Free Ousted President.

The Republic of Niger military junta has said that the toppled government had authorized France to strike at the presidency to free ousted leader Mohamed Bazoum.

The junta seized power last week and ousted democratically elected President Bazoum.

On Monday, one of the coup leaders, army Colonel Amadou Abdramane, on state television said that the authorization was signed by Niger Foreign Affairs Minister Hassoumi Massoudou, acting as prime minister, Reuters reports.

Niger Republic Military Junta Accuses France Of Planning Strikes To Free Ousted President.

Massoudou could not be reached for comment.

France has condemned the coup and urged that Bazoum be reinstated but has not announced any intention to intervene militarily. According to Reuters, Paris did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday either.

The military junta, which has confined Bazoum to the presidential palace since Wednesday, has previously warned against foreign attempts to extract him, saying it would result in bloodshed and chaos.

The coup in Niger followed military takeovers in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso over the last two years, all of which have come amid a wave of anti-French sentiments.

France has had troops in the region for a decade, helping to fight an Islamist insurgency. Still, some locals say they want the former colonial ruler to stop intervening in their affairs.

Niger has been a critical ally in Western campaigns against insurgents linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in the Sahel, and there are concerns the coup could open the door to more significant Russian influence in the region and allow the insurgency to spread.

Niger Republic Military Junta Accuses France Of Planning Strikes To Free Ousted President.

Supporters of the junta burnt French flags and attacked the French embassy in Niger’s capital Niamey on Sunday, drawing tear gas from police. The committee accused France in another statement of shooting at protesters and injuring six.

French President Emmanuel Macron said any attacks on French interests in Niger would be met with a “swift and uncompromising response.”

West African regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions and said it could authorize the use of force if Niger’s coup leaders fail to reinstate ousted president Bazoum within a week.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby flew to Niger over the weekend to help mediate the crisis and posted pictures on social media showing him meeting with Bazoum and separately with coup leader Abdourahamane Tiani, whom the junta has declared head of state.

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