INTL France warns will retaliate if its interests attacked in Niger

jward

jward

passin' thru

China to mediate in Niger crisis​


The Chinese government intends to mediate Niger’s crisis where the military deposed the elected president more than a month ago, according to its envoy to the West African country.
Jing Feng held talks Monday with Niger’s transition Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zene in the Nigerien capital of Niamey.

Feng said China always pursues the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and it is keenly following the situation in Niger.
“The Chinese government intends to play the role of a mediator, with full respect for the regional countries, to find a political solution to this Nigerien crisis,” Feng told reporters after the meeting. “China stands with Nigeriens in this situation.”

He said China has always stood with African countries but encourages them to devise their own solutions to their problems.
The meeting reportedly focused on the political situation in Niger.
China remains Niger’s partner in several areas including energy, oil and infrastructure, according to officials.
The two countries are working on the construction of a 2,000-kilometer (1,243-mile) long oil exportation pipeline which would facilitate transportation of crude oil from southern Niger’s Agadem fields to the port of Seme in Benin.
Zeine said talks are underway with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the possibility of lifting “as soon as possible” sanctions imposed on Niger following the political crisis.

He said similar discussions are underway on a rapid French military withdrawal of about 1,500 troops stationed in Niger.
Niger was plunged into turmoil July 26 when Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard, led a military intervention that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

www.aa.com.tr

China to mediate in Niger crisis

Beijing stands with Nigeriens on current political situation, says Chinese envoy to Niamey - Anadolu Ajansı
www.aa.com.tr www.aa.com.tr
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
https://twitter.com/afrikanObserver



The African Observer
@afrikanObserver

WHY ECOWAS’s INVASION OF NIGER WONT MATERIALIZE.

1. The military invasion by ECOWAS has been highly criticized and condemned by prominent organizations, individuals and countries. So the continent itself is divided on this issue which does a huge blow to ECOWAS
2. The risk of Prez. Bazoum getting killed in case of an ECOWAS invasion is likely to happen. And ECOWAS will end up not achieving it goals for the invasion, which is by restoring power back to Bazoum.
3. The Junta leader General Abdoulrahmane Tchiani, has also proposed that they are in to comply with any proposed transitional period to relinquish power back to constitutional rule but not to Bazoum. Of which ECOWAS already rejected. 4. ECOWAS lacks the public support for it pending invasion. Which further tames the enthusiasm it needs to push it forward.
5. ECOWAS will have to fight the whole nation of Niger and not just the military junta. There has been an increasing support within the local population of Niger showing up in masses to be conscripted into the military and also a widely support for the junta. So this won’t be a “short invasion” has ECOWAS will like to put it. 5. The public opinion will widely criticize ECOWAS on the popular sentiment “Africans against Africans” incase the invasion happens.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
DD Geopolitics
@DD_Geopolitics

BREAKING: France in talks with Niger officials over troops withdrawal according to Le Monde

France has started talks with some Niger army officials over withdrawing some troops from Niger following a coup in July, Le Monde reported on Tuesday.

At this stage, neither the number of French soldiers involved nor the timing of their departure have been decided, Le Monde said, citing several unidentified French sources.

The talks are not being held with military leaders, but with regular army officials with whom France has long cooperated, the newspaper said.

10:20 AM · Sep 5, 2023
46.5K
Views
 
pauldingbabe

pauldingbabe

The Great Cat
jward said:
The two countries are working on the construction of a 2,000-kilometer (1,243-mile) long oil exportation pipeline which would facilitate transportation of crude oil from southern Niger’s Agadem fields to the port of Seme in Benin.
Click to expand...


There it is...
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Plain Jane said:

'French' Goat's Throat Slit In Massive Niger Protest Demanding Withdraw Of French Forces | ZeroHedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
www.zerohedge.com www.zerohedge.com

'French' Goat's Throat Slit In Massive Niger Protest Demanding Withdraw Of French Forces​



To underscore threats that a failure to withdraw forces will lead to French blood being spilled, protesters paraded coffins covered with French flags and slit the throat of a goat that was adorned with French colors, Reuters reports.
Click to expand...

Thereby proving that, except for the Colonials you kicked out, your entire population is still back in the 1400s! Good God... I'm torn between being unable to take anyone seriously who publicly kills a goat as an apparent performance art/threat... and realizing "but if their backers/instigators have the money, there's a bunch of countries who will sell them what they need, including people capable of actually making sure the operation works.

Scarier than Hell!

Summerthyme
 
P

Plain Jane

Just Plain Jane
summerthyme said:
Thereby proving that, except for the Colonials you kicked out, your entire population is still back in the 1400s! Good God... I'm torn between being unable to take anyone seriously who publicly kills a goat as an apparent performance art/threat... and realizing "but if their backers/instigators have the money, there's a bunch of countries who will sell them what they need, including people capable of actually making sure the operation works.

Scarier than Hell!

Summerthyme
Click to expand...
I don't think that the West in general understands how weak they are. Vicki Nuland had her comupance by these people as primitive as they are.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru

China remains cautious after coups in Africa​


Frédéric Lemaître

Political instability on the continent makes Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative more risky.
Lire en français

Subscribers only
[IMG alt="Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the People's Assembly Palace, Beijing, April 19, 2023.
"]https://img.lemde.fr/2023/09/01/0/0/5000/3333/664/0/75/0/bbce7fd_1693552821064-000-33dg6rm.jpg[/IMG]
For China, coups Africa are both good and bad news. On the plus side, they highlight the limits of "Western-style" democracy based on elections by universal suffrage and are an opportunity to criticize the role of former colonial powers. The bad news is that they destabilize countries, making investment more risky and, ultimately, damaging their own economic interests. But, on the whole, during these periods of crisis, "China keeps a low profile, even when it could have the means to exert some influence," said a French diplomat present in one of the countries concerned.

In his view, "it's a mistake for the West to compare the role of the Chinese with that of the Russians. In Africa, China is betting on the stability of the continent, of which they have become the main [bilateral] financial backers, while Russia is seeking, on the contrary, to destabilize it for reasons that are both strategic and related to short-term financial interests," he said. "At the UN Security Council, Russia has just vetoed a resolution extending sanctions against the junta in Mali, while China abstained," he said.

Read more Article réservé à nos abonnés China wants BRICS group to rival G7

Coincidentally, the coup in Gabon took place on Wednesday, August 30, just as China was hosting the 3rd China-Africa Peace and Security Forum in Beijing for six days, from August 28 to September 2. This gathering, according to the Chinese, brings together "more than 100 representatives of the African Union and nearly 50 African countries."

Asymmetrical economic relations​


On Tuesday, China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu said that "the tradition of helping each other remains unchanged," and even called for "stronger cooperation" between China and Africa. According to the Xinhua news agency, the minister held "notable" talks with "defense officials" from Senegal, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia, South Sudan, Gambia, Mauritania and Uganda.

Although, unlike Russia, China does not send mercenaries to Africa and avoids military involvement in local conflicts, it does have numerous cooperation agreements with most African countries, to which it sells military and technological equipment. Its main areas of intervention are peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, fighting piracy, humanitarian aid and military training. All these areas are now part of the Belt and Road Initiative, the major international investment program launched by Xi Jinping in 2013.

There's no doubt that Africa is one of China's top diplomatic priorities. Since 1991, Chinese foreign ministers have systematically made their first trip of the year to Africa every January. "China's new hegemony in Africa is based not so much on its military might as on the development of asymmetrical economic relations, in particular loan-based infrastructure projects, as well as extraordinary diplomatic, ideological and cultural activism," said Jean-Pierre Cabestan, researcher at the Asia Centre.

You have 46.43% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.

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China remains cautious after coups in Africa

Political instability on the continent makes Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative more risky.
www.lemonde.fr www.lemonde.fr
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
O I suspect France is well aware that they're either definitely out of the Sahel, or that their being shown the door is a mere formality at this juncture.

If they find a way out without a major dust up w/ RU over it, I'll call it a win, or close nuff to one in horseshoes/hand granades.
Maybe the entrenchment of Isis that it will help facilitate will somehow prove to be good- concentrate the targets or something? :: shrug ::
 
N

night driver

ESFP adrift in INTJ sea
When you bring in someone who is NOT involved with the actual situation (Even the USA has involvements in Country) to "Mediate the situation" ya REALLY NEED someone who is respected by ALL FACTIONS.
Looks like Jing Feng is short some SERIOUS "mojo" here.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Casus Belli
@casusbellii
2h
#Niger

France's Foreign Ministry says that one of its officials has been arrested in military-run Niger, and is calling for his immediate release.

The French national arrested by the junta is Stéphane Jullien, advisor to the French in Niamey and a company director elected to represent them and act as liaison with French diplomatic services in the country.

He was arrested on September 8.

Btw the fact he was arrested on 8th and the french MFA only talk about it today probably means some negotiations failed

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger | AP News
3–4 minutes

Updated 2:12 PM CDT, September 12, 2023

PARIS (AP) — France’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and called for the junta to immediately release him.

Military officers in Niger deposed elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and last month ordered French officials to leave the country — an order that France has refused to heed, saying that Niger’s junta is not the country’s legitimate authority.

The ministry said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Stephane Jullien, counsellor for French citizens abroad — a non-diplomatic, elected post — was arrested last Friday, and called for his “immediate release.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France’s ambassador would stay at his post in Niger despite being asked to leave. Addressing ambassadors in August, Macron dismissed concerns that standing up to the junta could be dangerous.

The arrest of a French official was sure to further raise already high tensions between France and Niger, its former colony.

The Foreign Ministry did not elaborate on where and how Jullien was arrested or whether officials in Paris knew where he was being held. It said only that France was following the situation closely and was “fully mobilized” to assure him the protections due to anyone in another country.

France “calls immediately for his release,” the statement said.

French Ambassador Sylvain Itte was asked to leave Niger within 48 hours in a letter on Aug. 25 from the Nigerien Foreign Ministry that accused him of ignoring an invitation for a meeting with the ministry. The letter also cited “actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger.”

France has consistently acknowledged only the authority of Bazoum. He is still detained by the junta, which is now under sanctions by Western and regional African powers.

Nearly 1,500 French troops are based in Niger to help local forces fight Islamic extremists. However, the military cooperation has been suspended since the coup, whose leaders claimed that Bazoum’s government wasn’t doing enough to protect the country from the insurgency.

“One shouldn’t give in to the narrative used by the coup leaders that consists of saying France has become our enemy,” Macron said at the late August annual Paris gathering of the nation’s ambassadors.
___

This story has been corrected to show that the arrested French man is an elected official, not a French Foreign Ministry official.

apnews.com

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger

France’s Foreign Ministry says that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and is calling for his immediate release.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
H

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
jward said:
Casus Belli
@casusbellii
2h
#Niger

France's Foreign Ministry says that one of its officials has been arrested in military-run Niger, and is calling for his immediate release.

The French national arrested by the junta is Stéphane Jullien, advisor to the French in Niamey and a company director elected to represent them and act as liaison with French diplomatic services in the country.

He was arrested on September 8.

Btw the fact he was arrested on 8th and the french MFA only talk about it today probably means some negotiations failed

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger | AP News
3–4 minutes

Updated 2:12 PM CDT, September 12, 2023

PARIS (AP) — France’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and called for the junta to immediately release him.

Military officers in Niger deposed elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and last month ordered French officials to leave the country — an order that France has refused to heed, saying that Niger’s junta is not the country’s legitimate authority.

The ministry said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Stephane Jullien, counsellor for French citizens abroad — a non-diplomatic, elected post — was arrested last Friday, and called for his “immediate release.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France’s ambassador would stay at his post in Niger despite being asked to leave. Addressing ambassadors in August, Macron dismissed concerns that standing up to the junta could be dangerous.

The arrest of a French official was sure to further raise already high tensions between France and Niger, its former colony.

The Foreign Ministry did not elaborate on where and how Jullien was arrested or whether officials in Paris knew where he was being held. It said only that France was following the situation closely and was “fully mobilized” to assure him the protections due to anyone in another country.

France “calls immediately for his release,” the statement said.

French Ambassador Sylvain Itte was asked to leave Niger within 48 hours in a letter on Aug. 25 from the Nigerien Foreign Ministry that accused him of ignoring an invitation for a meeting with the ministry. The letter also cited “actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger.”

France has consistently acknowledged only the authority of Bazoum. He is still detained by the junta, which is now under sanctions by Western and regional African powers.

Nearly 1,500 French troops are based in Niger to help local forces fight Islamic extremists. However, the military cooperation has been suspended since the coup, whose leaders claimed that Bazoum’s government wasn’t doing enough to protect the country from the insurgency.

“One shouldn’t give in to the narrative used by the coup leaders that consists of saying France has become our enemy,” Macron said at the late August annual Paris gathering of the nation’s ambassadors.
___

This story has been corrected to show that the arrested French man is an elected official, not a French Foreign Ministry official.

apnews.com

France's Foreign Ministry says a French elected official has been arrested in military-run Niger

France’s Foreign Ministry says that a French official has been arrested in military-run Niger, and is calling for his immediate release.
apnews.com apnews.com
Click to expand...

I can see the 2e REP packing their bags and chutes now......
 
jward

jward

passin' thru

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage' - Insider Paper​


AFP​

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France’s envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of blocking food deliveries to the mission.
The ambassador is living off “military rations”, Macron told reporters in the French town of Semur-en-Auxois.
“As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy,” he said.

“They are preventing food deliveries,” he said, in an apparent reference to Niger’s new military rulers. “He is eating military rations.”
Niger’s military leaders told French ambassador Sylvain Itte he had to leave the country after they overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

But a 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognise the military regime as legitimate.
The coup has been condemned by France and most of Niger’s neighbours.
Macron said the envoy “cannot go out, he is persona non grata and he is being refused food”.
Asked whether France would consider bringing him home, Macron said: “I will do whatever we agree with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna later said the ambassador “is working” and would stay at his post for as long as Paris wished.

“He is very useful for us with his contacts and those of his team,” Colonna told LCI television, adding the ambassador still had a small team with him.
France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in Niger, and said earlier this month that any redeployment could only be negotiated with Bazoum.
The country’s new leaders have torn up military cooperation agreements with France and asked the troops to leave quickly.

Macron has for weeks rejected the call to remove the French ambassador, a stance backed by the EU which has described the demand as “a provocation”.
Like France, the EU “does not recognise” the authorities that seized power in Niger, said EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali last month.
The impoverished Sahel region south of the Sahara has suffered what Macron has called an “epidemic” of coups in recent years, with military regimes replacing elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea as well as Niger.
insiderpaper.com

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage'

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France's envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of
insiderpaper.com insiderpaper.com
 
Last edited:
jward

jward

passin' thru
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3

Members of the European People's Party starting to speak out on the French Ambassador in Niger supposedly being held (according to Macron) hostage...

"The EU cannot stand by while Niger 's military forces undermine small democratic advances. This kidnapping is a new attack on those who defend freedom in one of the poorest countries in the world."

jward said:

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage' - Insider Paper​


AFP​

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France’s envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of blocking food deliveries to the mission.
The ambassador is living off “military rations”, Macron told reporters in the French town of Semur-en-Auxois.
“As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy,” he said.

“They are preventing food deliveries,” he said, in an apparent reference to Niger’s new military rulers. “He is eating military rations.”
Niger’s military leaders told French ambassador Sylvain Itte he had to leave the country after they overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

But a 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognise the military regime as legitimate.
The coup has been condemned by France and most of Niger’s neighbours.
Macron said the envoy “cannot go out, he is persona non grata and he is being refused food”.
Asked whether France would consider bringing him home, Macron said: “I will do whatever we agree with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna later said the ambassador “is working” and would stay at his post for as long as Paris wished.

“He is very useful for us with his contacts and those of his team,” Colonna told LCI television, adding the ambassador still had a small team with him.
France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in Niger, and said earlier this month that any redeployment could only be negotiated with Bazoum.
The country’s new leaders have torn up military cooperation agreements with France and asked the troops to leave quickly.

Macron has for weeks rejected the call to remove the French ambassador, a stance backed by the EU which has described the demand as “a provocation”.
Like France, the EU “does not recognise” the authorities that seized power in Niger, said EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali last month.
The impoverished Sahel region south of the Sahara has suffered what Macron has called an “epidemic” of coups in recent years, with military regimes replacing elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea as well as Niger.
insiderpaper.com

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage'

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France's envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of
insiderpaper.com insiderpaper.com
Click to expand...
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
EndGameWW3
@EndGameWW3

France should look back at Libya and see what happened to Christopher Stevens..

jward said:

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage' - Insider Paper​


AFP​

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France’s envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of blocking food deliveries to the mission.
The ambassador is living off “military rations”, Macron told reporters in the French town of Semur-en-Auxois.
“As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy,” he said.

“They are preventing food deliveries,” he said, in an apparent reference to Niger’s new military rulers. “He is eating military rations.”
Niger’s military leaders told French ambassador Sylvain Itte he had to leave the country after they overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.

But a 48-hour ultimatum for him to leave, issued in August, passed with him still in place as the French government refused to comply, or to recognise the military regime as legitimate.
The coup has been condemned by France and most of Niger’s neighbours.
Macron said the envoy “cannot go out, he is persona non grata and he is being refused food”.
Asked whether France would consider bringing him home, Macron said: “I will do whatever we agree with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”
Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna later said the ambassador “is working” and would stay at his post for as long as Paris wished.

“He is very useful for us with his contacts and those of his team,” Colonna told LCI television, adding the ambassador still had a small team with him.
France keeps about 1,500 soldiers in Niger, and said earlier this month that any redeployment could only be negotiated with Bazoum.
The country’s new leaders have torn up military cooperation agreements with France and asked the troops to leave quickly.

Macron has for weeks rejected the call to remove the French ambassador, a stance backed by the EU which has described the demand as “a provocation”.
Like France, the EU “does not recognise” the authorities that seized power in Niger, said EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali last month.
The impoverished Sahel region south of the Sahara has suffered what Macron has called an “epidemic” of coups in recent years, with military regimes replacing elected governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea as well as Niger.
insiderpaper.com

Macron says ambassador to Niger 'literally held hostage'

President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that France's envoy to Niger is living like a hostage in the French embassy and accused military rulers of
insiderpaper.com insiderpaper.com
Click to expand...
 
H

Housecarl

On TB every waking moment
Just to make things more interesting.......

Posted for fair use.......
www.voanews.com

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Sign Sahel Security Pact

The three countries are struggling to contain Islamist insurgents linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group and have also seen their relations with neighbors and international partners strained because of the coups
www.voanews.com www.voanews.com

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Sign Sahel Security Pact​

September 16, 2023 4:47 PM
BAMAKO, MALI —
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, three West African Sahel nations ruled by military juntas, signed a security pact on Saturday promising to come to each other's aid in case of rebellion or external aggression.

The three countries are struggling to contain Islamist insurgents linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group and have also seen their relations with neighbors and international partners strained because of the coups.

The latest coup in Niger drove a further wedge between the three and countries of the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, which has threatened to use force to restore constitutional rule in the country.

Mali and Burkina Faso have vowed to come to Niger's aid if it is attacked.

"Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties," according to the charter of the pact, known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

It said the other states will assist individually or collectively, including with the use of armed force.

"I have today signed with the Heads of State of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, with the aim of establishing a collective defense and mutual assistance framework," Mali junta leader Assimi Goita said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

All three states were members of the France-supported G5 Sahel alliance joint force with Chad and Mauritania, launched in 2017 to tackle Islamist groups in the region.

Mali has since left the dormant organization after a military coup, prompting Niger's now-ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to say in May of last year that the force was now dead.

Relations between France and the three states have soured since the coups.

France has been forced to withdraw its troops from Mali and Burkina Faso and is in a tense standoff with the junta that seized power in Niger after it asked France to withdraw its troops and its ambassador.

France has refused to recognize the authority of the junta.

Related​

 
N

night driver

ESFP adrift in INTJ sea
Jules, I am pretty sure that what bit Chris Stevens was his CIA function in Benghazi. A LOT of "CARP" was happing there that ain't in play in Niger.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
hmmm I wonder. . .:hmm:

C4H10FO2P ☠️
@markito0171

Wagner PMC Media "Grey Zone":
Wagner "suddenly" lost 2 Mi-8, 1 Su-25 & 1 An-25 transport aircraft in 1 week in Africa (all crashed)

12:25 AM · Sep 17, 2023
282
Views
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
hmm. Wonder how much/if at all, this impacts the smoldering situation in the Sahel

Samuel Ramani
@SamRamani2
54m

BREAKING: The Wagner Group is reportedly sending forces back to the frontlines in Ukraine
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Casus Belli
@casusbellii
1h
Replying to @casusbellii

Latest information coming from the country suggest the coup failed but situation is still confused atm


PagerAfrica
@pagerafrica
BREAKING:

Congo's military has seized control of key installations in the capital.
According to preliminary data, the initiator of the coup is the commander of the presidential guard.
Events are unfolding rapidly.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
https://twitter.com/FreemansMind96
Connor Freeman
@FreemansMind96

Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso Establish Military Alliance, Vowing to Collectively Defend Against External Aggression The US has resumed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flight operations in order to maintain “force protection” while some troops and assets are relocated Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have signed a charter establishing a mutual defense pact, dubbed the Alliance of Sahel States, on Saturday. The pact commits the three sides to support one another, including with military forces, in response to any external aggression or armed rebellion. It has been described as a “collective [defense] and mutual assistance framework” by Mali military leader Assimi Goita.

The agreement binds the signatories to help prevent or settle armed rebellions in each other’s countries. Moreover, it declares that “Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties.” Mali’s Defense Minister Abdoulaye Diop elaborated, saying the alliance shall be a “combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries,” adding “our priority is the fight against terrorism.” This follows the July 26 military coup in Niamey, which overthrew the regime of President Mohamed Bazoum. The post-coup junta is led by Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani. Before its rhetoric was moderated, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened to launch a miliary intervention to reinstall Bazoum, who is currently living under house arrest. The plan to intervene was backed by Paris.

After these war threats were issued, Ouagadougou and Bamako warned an invasion in Niger would be treated as a “declaration of war” against them as well. France, Niger’s former colonial ruler, has about 1,500 troops stationed in the country and refuses to recognize the junta. The new leadership has also denounced military cooperation agreements with Paris and demanded French forces leave the country along with French ambassador Sylvain Itte. French President Emmanuel Macron will not accede to the demands, even though he said on Friday, “As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic staff who are literally being held hostage in the French embassy… [The junta is] preventing food deliveries… He is eating military rations.” There have been reports that talks are ongoing between Paris and the coup junta in Niamey about withdrawing “certain military elements.” Although, that may not be enough. For weeks, tens of thousands of Nigeriens have protested outside a French military base in the capital city ordering these troops to leave their country now. Over the weekend, thousands returned for yet another demonstration. The US has roughly 1,100 troops deployed in Niger where it also maintains multiple drone bases. Since the coup took place about 50 days ago, counterterror operations and joint training operations have been indefinitely put on hold without being resumed. Washington has, however, restarted its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flight operations in the country.

Per the Pentagon, this is being done to facilitate the relocation of an unspecified number of US military personnel and assets from Air Base 101 in Niamey. They are moving 570 miles to the northeast to Agadez city’s Air Base 201. Air Base 201 is the “the linchpin of the US military’s archipelago of bases in North and West Africa and a key part of America’s wide-ranging intelligence, surveillance, and security efforts in the region,” according to investigative journalist Nick Turse who specializes in covering US military operations across the African continent. General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, recently told reporters that Washington is still waiting to see if a compromise can be made with the junta before the Air Base 201 itself is relocated to another country. The “diplomatic solution is going pretty well right now,” he said. The Joe Biden administration has not officially deemed the situation in Niamey a coup yet. If the White House did, it would have to cut off all military assistance.
 
danielboon

danielboon

TB Fanatic
jward said:
Casus Belli
@casusbellii
1h
Replying to @casusbellii

Latest information coming from the country suggest the coup failed but situation is still confused atm


PagerAfrica
@pagerafrica
BREAKING:

Congo's military has seized control of key installations in the capital.
According to preliminary data, the initiator of the coup is the commander of the presidential guard.
Events are unfolding rapidly.
Click to expand...
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1703453044783079798
View: https://twitter.com/africlandpost/status/1703453044783079798
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Casus Belli
@casusbellii
·
5h
#Niger

Junta orders the arrest of several relatives of President Mohamed Bazoum, for conspiracy against the State, and high treason.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
DD Geopolitics
@DD_Geopolitics
Niger authorities accused the UN Secretary General of collusion with France

"The UN Secretary-General, with the connivance of France and the francophone heads of state of ECOWAS, did not fulfill his mission by preventing Niger from participating in the 78th session of the UN General Assembly,” said Amadou Abdraman, a spokesman for Niger’s military transitional government.

According to him, Guterres not only refused to take note of the official list of delegates from Niger, but above all “satisfied the fanatical request of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niger to recall Niger’s permanent representative to the UN.”

Niger strongly condemns the decision of the UN Secretary General and considers it interference in the internal affairs of the state, a government spokesman said.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru

Mali will 'not stand idly by' if military intervention in Niger - Africa - World​



FILE - United Nations forces patrol the streets of Timbuktu, Mali, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. AP

Related​

Rebel elite soldiers overthrew Niger's president Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 and have since detained him at home with his family.
The West African regional bloc ECOWAS has threatened the coup leaders with military intervention if diplomatic pressure to reinstate the democratically elected Bazoum fails.

A week ago, the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso -- all of whom came to power in coups since 2020 -- signed a defense pact that provides for mutual assistance in the face of attack.
"Mali remains strongly opposed to any military intervention by ECOWAS," said Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop, representing the Malian junta at the UN General Assembly.
"Any invasion of this country constitutes a direct threat to the peace and security of Mali, but also to the peace and security of the region, and will necessarily have serious consequences. We will not stand idly by," he said.
The Mali junta has made sovereignty a priority, ending its cooperation with France and its allies in fighting jihadism, and turned militarily and politically towards Russia.

At the General Assembly, Diop repeated his criticism of Paris and its "neo-colonial domination," and also made "special mention" of Russia's "active solidarity and reliable commitment both bilaterally and multilaterally."
Bamako has also pushed out the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA, which is due to complete its expedited withdrawal by the end of the year.
"The government of the Republic of Mali has no intention of extending this deadline," the minister said.
Instability in the Sahel has heightened international worries over the impoverished region, which faces growing jihadist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Since 2012, Mali has been faced with the spread of jihadism and a security, humanitarian and political crisis.
Hostilities have resumed in the north of the country, coinciding with the ongoing withdrawal of MINUSMA.
"The government reassures the Malian people and the international community that all measures have been taken to ensure the continuity of state services after the departure of the MINUSMA," Diop said.
"The government of the Republic of Mali is more determined than ever to exercise its sovereignty and assert its authority throughout the national territory."
Short link:
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Terror Alarm
@Terror_Alarm
·
3m
What a sad day for the Free World!
Instead of razing Niger to the ground and saving hundreds of billions of investment, Macron submits to the will of terrorists and says he will "withdraw its troops from #Niger and recall its ambassador".
 
jward

jward

passin' thru

France will end its military presence in Niger by the end of 2023, Macron says​


Chris Liakos​

CNN —

France will end its military presence in Niger by the end of 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday, marking the latest major development amid high tensions between the two countries since a military junta seized control of Niger in July.

“We are putting an end to our military cooperation with the de facto authorities of Niger because they don’t want to fight terrorism anymore,” Macron said regarding the military leaders who took over rule of the northwest African country.

France has not recognized Niger’s military authorities and insists that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, who was toppled in the coup, remains the country’s only legitimate authority.

The decision to end the “cooperation” is “because we are not there to deal with internal politics and be hostages of putschists,” Macron said, referring to the military group.

The withdrawal will be organized in the coming weeks, he said.

“They will come back in an orderly manner in the weeks and months to come, and for that, we will coordinate with the putschists because we want this to happen calmly,” Macron said.

Niger’s ruling military power said it welcomes France’s decision to pull its troops from the country, according to a statement posted to Niger’s state television, Tele Sahel.

“This Sunday, we celebrate another step towards Niger’s sovereignty. French troops and the French ambassador will be leaving Niger by the end of the year,” the statement said. “Imperialist and neo-colonialist forces are no longer welcome on our national territory.”

“Any person, institution or structure whose presence threatens the interests and outlook of our country will have to leave the land of our ancestors, whether they like it or not,” it added. “Our resistance will be unwavering, and will deal with any institution or structure attempting to challenge the higher interests of our nation.”

France had stationed military troops in the country, many of whom were there to assist with counterterrorism missions, on the basis that Niger was a relatively stable democracy in a region fraught with political upheaval, terrorism and Islamist insurgencies, CNN has reported.

Some 1,500 troops remain.

Responding to a question on the withdrawal’s timeline, Macron said there will not be any French soldiers in Niger by the end of 2023.

Earlier this month, two US officials also said the United States could begin withdrawing troops from Niger in the coming weeks, CNN has previously reported. As many as half of the roughly 1,100 US troops stationed in Niger could be pulled from the country, the two officials said.

The French president also said he has decided to bring back the country’s ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itte, to France.

“France has decided to bring back its ambassador,” Macron said. “In the coming hours, our ambassador along with several diplomats will return to France.”

That announcement comes just over a week after Macron said the ambassador was “literally being held hostage at the French embassy,” and that “food was prevented from being delivered” to the embassy in Niamey, the capital.

After their July coup, the military junta ordered Itte to leave the country, and it later revoked his visa and instructed police to expel him.

But the diplomat remained in place, according to the French presidency, and French authorities reiterated they did not recognize the junta’s authority.

Itte was still working, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said earlier this month, adding he “will stay as long as we want him to stay” and that the official’s return was Macron’s decision.

CNN’s Sahar Akbarzai and Josh Pennington contributed to this report.

 
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