Protesters attack French embassy in Niger Republic

Anti-French protests took place outside the French Embassy in Niger Republic’s capital, Niamey on Sunday following last week’s military coup.

Supporters of the military junta, who condemned the action taken by France in the wake of the coup, marched through the streets of Niamey waving Russian flags and chanting the name of Vladimir Putin, the Russian president and forcefully denouncing former colonial power, France.

The peaceful demonstration later turned violent.

France condemned the violence against its diplomatic mission and pledged to react strongly to any attack on its nationals or interests.

“The President will not tolerate any attack against France and its interests,” President Emmanuel Macron’s office said in a statement, specifying that it would respond to attacks against French diplomats, armed forces or businesses.

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In a separate statement, the Foreign Affairs ministry condemned all violence against diplomatic missions and called on Niger authorities to protect the French mission as required under international law.

Macron has spoken with ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and former president of Niger Mahamadou Issoufou in the last few hours, the statement from the president’s office said, adding that both of them condemned the coup and called for calm.

France, the former colonial power in Niger, announced on Saturday it was cutting all development aid to the country and called for Bazoum to be returned to office following his ouster late on Wednesday.

Niger has been a security partner of France, and the United States, which have used it as a base to fight an Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa’s wider Sahel region.