NIAMEY, Oct 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nearly 200 French soldiers have left Niger’s south-western Ouallam town amid ongoing withdrawals from the Sahel nation, state-owned Tele Sahel TV station reports.
It said that 193 French soldiers based in Ouallam left their camp for Chad on Sunday.
The troops reportedly left with 28 lorries as well as 24 armoured personnel carriers and other support vehicles.
Chad had agreed to offer a “corridor” for the withdrawal of the French soldiers from Niger back to France. The withdrawal exercise began on Oct 5.
France deployed some 1,500 soldiers to Niger to help counter a deepening jihadist insurgency since 2015.
The French troops were based in the capital Niamey, Ouallam and Ayorou – near the border with Mali.
Meanwhile, the European Union has begun steps to impose sanctions on members of Niger’s military junta, three months after they took power in a coup.
The EU Council announced on Monday that it had “adopted a framework” that will allow it to impose sanctions on “individuals and entities responsible for actions that threaten the peace, stability and security of Niger”.
The council also said that the sanctions will apply to individuals who undermine Niger’s constitutional order, democracy or rule of law, as well as individuals who commit human rights violations or abuses.
The sanctions will include travel bans, asset freezes and bans on the provision of funds to sanctioned individuals.
“With today’s decision, the EU strengthens its support to [West African bloc] Ecowas’ efforts and sends a clear message: military coups bear costs,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said.
The EU, however, said that it would allow humanitarian exemptions to asset freeze measures.
The European move follows the imposition of sanctions on Niger by Ecowas and the suspension of aid by the US government. — NNN-AGENCIES
