Niger's junta on Thursday said it had revoked various military cooperation agreements with France after the military ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum in a coup last week.
France has between 1,000 and 1,500 troops in Niger, helping to fight an insurgency by groups linked to al Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State that has spread across the Sahel region.
All military cooperation and protocols with France have been ''terminated'', said the junta. This could be problematic for France as its relations with Mali and Burkina Faso have already deteriorated following military coups in the two countries.
Niger has been hosting French troops who had relocated from neighbouring Mali. The termination of military cooperation might leave the troops in a fix.
The military junta has also recalled the country’s ambassadors from France, Nigeria, Togo and the US.
Amadou Abdramane, the spokesperson for the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, announced the measures on state television on Thursday night.
The military rulers have also announced the lifting of a nationwide curfew they imposed last week in the wake of the coup.
Suspicious incidents
Meanwhile, the junta has threatened to attack a member country of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) if the West African bloc intervenes militarily in the country.
"Any aggression or attempted aggression against the State of Niger will see an immediate and unannounced response from the Niger Defense and Security Forces on one of (the bloc's) members," he said.
This came with "the exception of suspended friendly countries,” he added, alluding to Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The West African regional group ECOWAS had threatened to use force to reverse the coup in Niger and reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. But the bloc has also sent a delegation to Niamey for dialogue with the coup leaders.
Calling on society to be careful about the armies and agents of foreign countries, Abdramane urged the Nigerien people to inform officials about any suspicious incidents.
