PARIS, September 12 The French Foreign Ministry demanded the immediate release of a French citizen , detained in Niger on September 8, Agence France-Presse reported.
According to the French Foreign Ministry, on September 8, security services in Niger detained the adviser for the affairs of the French living abroad, Stephane Julien.
“The ministry calls for his immediate release. From the first day, our embassy has been working to provide consular support for our citizen,” the agency notes, citing a statement from the official representative of the department.
At the end of July, the Niger military said in a televised speech that President Mohamed Bazoum had been removed, the borders were closed, and a curfew had been declared. Before this, the military of the presidential guard blocked the presidential palace in the country's capital, Niamey. Leaders of most Western countries and the regional organization ECOWAS condemned the coup. In early August, participants in an emergency meeting of the Chiefs of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the ECOWAS countries, held in Abuja, Nigeria, adopted a plan in the event of military intervention in Niger.
Rebels in Niger demanded that the French ambassador leave the country, announced the rupture of all military agreements with Paris and demanded the withdrawal of French troops from Niger. There are currently 1.5 thousand French troops stationed in Niger.
The Niger Republic, as a former French colony, remained one of the last allies of Western countries in the Sahel. In addition, the country has rich reserves of uranium, on which France depends. As noted by French media, this African country accounts for 15% to 17% of the uranium used to produce electricity in France.
