"In the face of a deteriorating security situation in Niamey (…) an operation of evacuation by air from Niamey is being prepared," said a message sent out by the embassy to French citizens.
The evacuations "will take place very soon in a very limited span of time", the message said, France 24 reported.
Niger became the third Sahel country in less than three years, following neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, to be shaken by a military coup. Niger's military has been holding the country's president, Mohamed Bazoum, since last week in the seventh coup to hit Africa's Sahel region in recent years. General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the powerful presidential guard, has declared himself leader.
In a joint statement, the governments of Burkina Faso and Mali warned that "disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger ... could destabilize the entire region". "Any military intervention against Niger would be considered as a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali," the statement reads.
On Sunday, Niger Republic suspended the export of uranium and gold to France with immediate effect. Protesters in Niger burned a French flag and shouted “Down with France!” as they supported the coup.
“We have uranium, diamonds, gold, oil, and we live like slaves? We don’t need the French to keep us safe, ” one said.
MP/PR
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