Niger accuses France of violating airspace

Niger's military government accused France of violating airspace restrictions and "releasing terrorists", referring to Islamist militants.

The Niger National Defense Council (CNSP), established by the military government, accused France on August 9 of unilaterally releasing a number of Islamist rebels who then regrouped to plan an attack on the border area shared by the three countries of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.

"The extremely serious events taking place in Niger are the work of French forces and their accomplices," the CNSP said in a statement, adding that a Nigerien armed forces unit was attacked on the same day 30 kilometers (19 miles) from a gold mine in Samira in the west of the country.

Niger military leaders attend a rally in Niamey on August 6. Photo: Reuters

Niger's military government also accused France on the same day of allowing a military plane to take off from neighboring Chad and then fly over Niger, despite the country closing its airspace since last weekend.

"The plane deliberately cut all contact with air traffic control when it entered Niger airspace between 6:39 and 11:15 a.m.," Niger's military government said.

A French government official denied the allegations, insisting that they had been in contact with the Nigerien armed forces before the flight from Chad. The source also stressed that "France did not release any terrorists".

Location of Niger and neighboring countries. Graphic: AFP

France has about 1,500 troops in Niger and has close ties with the government of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. Niger has been a key ally of France in the fight against radical Islamist rebels. Paris says it is up to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore constitutional order in Niger.

On July 26, Niger's presidential guard under the command of General Abdourahamane Tiani carried out a coup, ousting President Bazoum and establishing a military government. This is the third country in the Sahel region to be shaken by a military coup in the past three years, after Mali and Burkina Faso.

ECOWAS has given Niger's military government a deadline to hand over power to President Bazoum by August 6, or face military intervention in the country. However, the deadline has passed and the bloc appears not ready to intervene in Niger.

The West African bloc is scheduled to hold a summit on the situation in Niger on August 10. Nigeria, which holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, said on August 8 that the bloc was not ruling out any options, but believed diplomacy was the "best path" to resolving the crisis.

Rhissa Ag Boula, a former rebel leader in Niger, announced on August 9 that he had formed an anti-coup movement to restore power to President Bazoum. Boula served as Niger's tourism minister from 1996 to 1999 and from 1999 to 2004. In 2008, he founded the FFR, an anti-government rebel movement. A year later, the FFR joined a Libya-sponsored peace process to end the conflict in Niger, in exchange for amnesty for its members who participated in the rebellion. Boula then continued his political activities in Niger.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP )

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