Niger: France Denies Any Role in Foiled Mutiny by Dissident Soldiers

France has rejected as “pure fantasies” Niger’s accusation that Paris encouraged soldiers to mutiny against the military government. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said France had neither the intention nor the means to organize such an operation.

Niger’s military authorities say they foiled the mutiny a week ago with help from their Russian allies. The dissident soldiers had launched an attack targeting the airport and presidential palace. Three members of the presidential guard were killed, according to the report.

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These are pure fantasies.

Niger’s public television first alleged over the previous weekend that France was involved with the mutineers, without providing evidence. On Friday, the Council of Ministers said the attack had been organized by a broad network directed by France and said Niger reserved the right to bring proceedings before international courts.

Barrot called the allegation an attempt to wrongly assign responsibility to France. “All this is, as usual, a way of wrongly pointing to a responsibility that France simply does not have,” he said. Niger is led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power in a July 2023 coup and has since moved closer to Russia. The report describes the mutiny as the first major internal challenge to his regime. Niamey regularly accuses France, its former colonial ruler until 1960, of supporting destabilization attempts, allegations Paris denies.

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All this is, as usual, a way of wrongly pointing to a responsibility that France simply does not have.