A protester in Niamey, Niger, holds a sign reading ‘France must go’ during a Sunday protest. Thousands of demonstrators showed their support for Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, the head of the Presidential Guard, who declared himself the new leader of Niger after a coup against democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26. – Photo by Issifou Djibo/EPA-EFE
Aug. 2 (UPI) — In response to a military coup that ousted democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, the United States has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and their families from the U.S. Embassy in Niger.
According to U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, the evacuation order was made “out of an abundance of caution” and due to limited commercial flight options that could hinder evacuation efforts if conditions worsen in the country. He stated that the U.S. Embassy will remain open for limited emergency services to U.S. citizens, but warned that only emergency assistance will be available due to reduced personnel.
“We have updated our travel advisory to reflect this situation and have informed U.S. citizens in Niger about the limitations in our assistance,” Miller said.
Despite the evacuation, Miller emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to Niger and its democracy. He mentioned the recent confirmation of Kathleen FitzGibbon as the new ambassador to Niger, stating that she is well-equipped to manage the bilateral relationship during this difficult period.
In addition to the U.S., France, the former colonial ruler of Niger, has also started evacuating its citizens in response to the unrest. The military in Niger burned French flags and attacked the French Embassy, accusing France of interfering in the country’s power structure.
“Given the situation in Niamey, and the violence that took place against our embassy and the closing of airspace that leaves our citizens without any possibility of leaving the country by their own means, France is preparing to evacuate those of its citizens and European citizens who want to leave the country,” said French officials in a statement.
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