France is set to begin withdrawing its troops from Niger on Monday, October 9, according to sources cited by Al Jazeera. The French armed forces’ command has reportedly identified a temporary location for the military contingent outside of the African country. The soldiers will be redeployed to neighboring Chad, where the French forces’ Sahel headquarters is located. As per the report, representatives of the French military command have reached an agreement with the rebels regarding the withdrawal process of the limited contingent.
Previously, the military in Niger accused France of deploying forces in ECOWAS countries for intervention purposes. According to AFP, Paris is considering intervention in coordination with this organization. The military’s data indicates that France has deployed military contingents in Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin, and other ECOWAS countries.
Earlier, Politico reported that the number of US military personnel serving in Niger could be reduced by about half in the near future as a precautionary measure following the Pentagon’s announced decision to relocate troops.
Previously, the leader of the rebels predicted widespread bloodshed in Niger in the event of foreign intervention.
