France’s ambassador in Niger ‘taken hostage,’ says President Macron
ATHENS (AA) – Under Niger’s new military administration, the French ambassador has effectively been “taken hostage,” French President Emmanuel Macron, has claimed.
“In Niger, as I speak to you, we have an ambassador and diplomatic members who are literally taken hostage at the French Embassy,” Emmanuel Macron said during a visit to the northwestern town of Semur-en-Auxois, according to broadcaster BFMTV.
As Niger’s leaders do not allow fresh supplies into the embassy compound, the ambassador is forced to eat only military rations, he added.
On July 26, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, a former commander of the presidential guard of Niger led a military intervention that ousted the unpopular President Mohamed Bazoum who had been a close ally to France.
At the end of August, Niger’s military administration ordered the expulsion of Ambassador Sylvain Itte, but Paris had refused.
Military administrations also took power in other former colonies of France, namely neighboring Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Mali in 2020.
AC
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