France already discussing withdrawal of some of its troops from Niger
France has begun negotiations with the Niger military on the possibility of withdrawing some of its units from the country, TASS reports with reference to Le Monde sources familiar with the situation
According to the publication, ‘negotiations on the withdrawal of some units have already begun’. Informed sources told Le Monde that such discussions ‘are quite natural against the background of the cessation of joint anti-terrorist activities’ after the coup in Niger.
Meanwhile, information on the number of soldiers who can leave Niger and the timetable for their withdrawal is not provided. According to the publication, French servicemen may be ‘partially relocated to neighbouring countries, especially to Chad, and partially returned to France’. To date, there are about 1.5 thousand French soldiers in Niger.
Earlier, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said that French troops in Niger could not fulfil their tasks of training Niger's military personnel, as well as helping them in the fight against terrorism.
