The withdrawal of French troops began. French soldiers left their bases in Niger on Tuesday as part of the first overland convoy under local escort heading “towards Chad”, a nod to the military regime that has been in power in Niamey since late July.
“Troops based in Wallam (west) left their base today. These are operations to send the first land convoy towards Chad under the escort of our defense and security forces,” the Niamey regime clarified in a press release read on Tuesday evening on national television.
“Safe” output
In addition to this overland departure, “three special flights” were recorded at Niamey airport: two for the departure of “97 special forces elements” and one “intended for logistics.” The regime, which has assured that it wants this withdrawal to take place “in complete safety,” clarified that the disengagement will continue according to “the schedule agreed upon by both sides.”
Nigerian generals quickly demanded the French withdraw after they took power, and French President Emmanuel Macron announced their departure in late September. Some 1,400 French soldiers and airmen have so far been deployed to the country to fight jihadists alongside Nigerians, including about 1,000 in Niamey and 400 at two forward bases in the west, at Ouallam and Tabarei-Bari, in the heart of the so-called Zone “three borders” with Mali and Burkina Faso.
Source: Le Parisien
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