President Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger, pull its ambassador after coup
By ANGELA CHARLTON and DALATOU MAMANE
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron says France will end its military presence in Niger and pull its ambassador out of the country now that its democratically elected president has been deposed in a coup. France has maintained some 1,500 troops in Niger since the July coup and refused a request by the new junta for its ambassador to leave. But with tensions mounting, Macron says he told the ousted President mohamed Bazoum on Sunday that “France has decided to bring back its ambassador, and in the coming hours our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France.” He also says France is ending its military cooperation with Niger.