The French soldiers stationed in the Sahel country started to leave Tuesday, as requested by the junta in power in Niamey.
The French army confirmed Tuesday it had begun withdrawing its troops from Niger.
"The first troops have left," the spokesman of the French chief of staff told AFP.
🇳🇪 🇫🇷 The departure of French forces from Niger has commenced. The initial group of French troops left for France on Monday, with protection provided by the Nigerien Armed Forces. The French army general staff stated, This operation aims to bring all soldiers back to France by… pic.twitter.com/pXa2SWTqC5
— AfricaAnalysts (@AfricanAnalysts) October 9, 2023
A French defence source said a first group of soldiers that were considered priority for evacuation for health or humanitarian reasons flew out of Niger on Monday.
"Operations for the departure of the first convoy escorted by our defence and security forces will begin tomorrow," according to a statement read on state television, Télé Sahel, on Monday.
The statement did not specify the destination of the convoy.
After some meetings and "exchanges between authorities and the French side, a timetable for the withdrawal of troops has been determined with mutual agreement," the statement added.
Niger's ruling generals demanded the withdrawal of 1,400 French troops shortly after they seized power at the end of July.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in September that the troops would exit "by the end of the year", complying with the demand by the new regime in Niamey.
The French soldiers are in Niger as part of a wider fight against jihadists across the Sahel region.
Movements in the whole Sahel
Over the weekend, there were several convoys moving between bases in the northwest near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, where 400 troops are deployed, as well as in the capital Niamey.
The French troops have been living in uncertainty since the new regime began demanding their departure, with irregular supplies of food and repeated anti-French demonstrations outside the Niamey base.
The way out for troops in Niger remains unclear as land borders with Benin and Nigeria remain closed.
The Niger regime has also banned French civilian and military aircraft from flying over its territory without special authorisation.
Borders have reopened with Algeria, Libya, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad, where a French command is based in the capital N'Djamena.
Postponed Algerian mediation
The announcement also comes as Algeria decided to "postpone" mediation efforts to find a way out of the crisis.
The country offered in August to mediate talks with the military regime, proposing a six-month transition period, but Algerians authorities announced on Monday that it would "postpone" the talks "until it obtained clarifications" concerning the implementation of Algerian mediation in Niger.
Earlier this month, the Niger's new leaders said that the timeframe of a transition back to civilian rule would be determined by an "inclusive national" dialogue.
Algeria deplored that "official and public statements from the Nigerien authorities raised questions about their real willingness to follow through on their acceptance of Algerian mediation."
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on 6 August said he "categorically" rejected any foreign military intervention in Niger, which borders Algeria to the south: A military solution would be "a direct threat" to Algeria, he said, stressing "there will be no solution without us. We are the first people affected".
The new strongman in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani, had said shortly after coming into power that a transition period would last a maximum of three years.
The 26 July coup against Niger's democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum was the third such putsch in the region in as many years.
It followed similar actions in fellow former French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
(with AFP)
