Those in power in Niger have accused France of violating the closed airspace over the West African state – Paris denied. The ECOWAS states will discuss the situation on Thursday.
The day before a special summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the coup d’état in Niger, those in power made serious allegations against France: the French armed forces had violated closed Niger airspace, according to a statement read out on television by the ruling National Council for the Protection of the French Fatherland (CNSP). A French military plane left N’Djamena in neighboring Chad that morning, sources said. Upon entering Niger’s airspace, it “deliberately cut off all contact with air traffic control.”
In addition, the former colonial power released “captured terrorists,” the CNSP said. What is meant in this case are armed jihadists who have been leading a bloody uprising in the country for years. After their release, the jihadists took part in a “planning meeting” for an attack on “military positions in the border triangle,” it said. The borders of the countries Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali converge in the crisis region.
The French government denied the allegations. No terrorists were released and the flights took place on the basis of prior agreements.
Bazoum party calls for resistance
Meanwhile, the party of the ousted President Mohamed Bazoum called for the release of the head of state. The whole country must be mobilized, according to a statement by the PNDS-Tarayya party.
Bazoum and his family were being held at their residence in inhumane conditions. There is no running water and no electricity. In addition, the President would be denied medical care and fresh food.
A former rebel leader had previously called for resistance to the military government.
community of states advises on how to proceed
On Thursday, an ECOWAS special summit will discuss the situation after the coup d’état in Niger. The military representatives who overthrew the president in Niger condemned ECOWAS as an organization “in the pay” of France. The coalition of states had threatened a possible military intervention if the democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated.
Germany is also sending diplomatic personnel to the meeting in the Nigerien capital, Abuja: the Foreign Office’s Africa representative, Christoph Retzlaff, was sent as an observer to the summit, said a spokesman in Berlin.
Development Minister Svenja Schulze is also traveling to the Sahel next week. In her new role as Chair of the Sahel Alliance donor coalition, she is expected to attend talks in Niger and Mauritania. According to her ministry, one of the aims is to find out how Germany can support efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Niger.