Macron: France will withdraw troops and ambassador from Niger

(Patria) - Emmanuel Macron said France will withdraw its ambassador and end all military cooperation with Niger following the coup, the BBC reported.

"France has decided to withdraw its ambassador. In the coming hours, our ambassador and several diplomats will return to France", said Macron. He added that military cooperation is "over" and that French troops will leave in the "coming months".

The military junta seized power in Niger on July 26, ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. The decision followed months of resistance and protests against the French presence in the country, with regular demonstrations in the capital Niamey.

There are about 1,500 French soldiers in Niger. The French president said he still considers Bazoum, who is currently a prisoner of the coup leaders, as the "only legitimate authority" in the country and that he informed him of his decision. He described the ousted president as a "hostage".

"He was targeted by this coup because he was carrying out courageous reforms and because there was a lot of ethnic reckoning and a lot of political cowardice", he said.

Niger's military leaders told French Ambassador Sylvain Itte that he had to leave the country after they overthrew Bazoum on July 26. However, a 48-hour ultimatum to leave, issued in August, passed as the French government refused to comply, or to recognize the military regime as legitimate.