French troops will begin withdrawing from Niger "this week", Paris said Thursday, after a falling-out with the military junta in power since a July coup.

A boat carrying about 22 passengers on board from Kasabu village in Agwara local government area of Niger to Yauri in Kebbi has capsized.

France's ambassador to Niger landed in Paris on Wednesday after leaving Niamey following weeks of tensions between Paris and the post-coup regime in the West African country, the foreign ministry told AFP.

France's ambassador to Niger left the capital Niamey early Wednesday, a French diplomatic source and a Nigerien government source said, after weeks of the post-coup military leaders in the West African country demanding his expulsion.

Niger's coup leaders are demanding a "negotiated framework" for former colonial ruler France to withdraw its troops, which Paris says will be completed by the end of the year.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that France would withdraw troops it deployed in Niger by the end of 2023.

Community leaders in Kurebe, in Shiroro local council of Niger State has distanced themselves from an online news publication that alleged mining companies operating in the area paid bandits certain amount of money for protection. In a joint interview granted to newsmen  in Minna by Haruna Salihu Kurebe, a community leader and Jamilu Abubakar, APC…

The military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger on Saturday signed a mutual defence pact, ministerial delegations from the three Sahel countries announced in Mali's capital Bamako. The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Mali's junta leader Assimi Goita posted on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. Its aim…

France does not intend to cut cultural ties with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, the culture minister, Rima Abdul-Malak said.

Burkina Faso's junta-led government said one of the country's most popular radio stations could resume broadcasting on Monday after being suspended for airing an interview deemed "insulting" to Niger's new military leaders.

France's army is holding "talks" with counterparts in Niger about "easing movements of French military resources" in the country following a July coup by hostile generals, people close to Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu told AFP Tuesday.

ECOWAS member-States are worried, not because of the masses, but because they want to protect political leaders who are afraid. Togo is worried.