Foreign nationals lined up outside an airport in Niger's capital Wednesday morning to wait for a French military evacuation flight, while a regional bloc continued talks about its response to the military coup that took place last week.
France, Italy and Spain all announced evacuations for their citizens and other Europeans in the capital, Niamey, following concerns that they could become trapped after soldiers detained President Mohamed Bazoum and seized power.
An Italian military aircraft landed in Rome on Wednesday with 99 passengers, including 21 Americans and civilians from other countries, said the Italian defence minister. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said he spoke with the German commander at the air base in Niamey on Tuesday, "and he told me clearly they are not at all worried about their safety at the moment; they are in close contact with the Nigerien military; they are driving out accompanied by the Nigerien military." Supplies also are assured, he said.
The passenger said they feared reprisal attacks against civilians if Niger's regional neighbours follow through on threats to intervene militarily. Mali and Burkina Faso's leaders said a military intervention in Niger "would be tantamount to a declaration of war" against them.
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