NIAMEY September 27. 2023 (Saba) - Military Council spokesman in Niger Col. Amadou Abdel rahman has said that the Council has not yet received any official statement regarding the withdrawal of French forces from the country, stressing that they do not fear any consequences of the Paris decision.
During an interview with al-Jazeera on Tuesday Amadou, who is the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture in the transitional government, explained that the military council did not propose any specific date regarding withdrawing the French ambassador and its forces from the country.
He also stressed that there are no problems with other Western forces in Niger and said that the military junta did not request that any other force replace the French force.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday that his country had decided to withdraw its ambassador Sylvain Ait from Niger “within hours,” and then the French forces, numbering approximately 1,500 soldiers, two months after the coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
The military council said in a televised statement on Monday evening that the timetable for the withdrawal of French forces must be “within a negotiated framework and a joint agreement for better effectiveness.”
The Council explained that it expects "an announcement of official measures issued by the relevant French authorities."
According to Al Jazeera, the spokesman for the military junta said in his statements that "we have no reason to be afraid after the withdrawal of French forces," stressing that things are calm in the country, and that the Nigerian armed forces are the guarantor of its security.
H.H
resource : Saba
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