French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he is ending the country's military co-operation with Niger after the coup there in July, and withdrawing 1,500 troops given the task of battling rebels in the Sahel region.
The troops will be pulled out by the end of the year, in a move that deals a blow to France's counter-terrorism operations in the Sahel and its influence in the region.
Mr Macron said France, the former colonial power in Niger, would "not be held hostage by the putschists" who he has refused to recognise as the legitimate authority in the country.
"We will consult with the putschists because we want things to happen calmly," he told France's TF1 and France 2 TV stations.
France's ambassador was also being pulled out and would arrive back in the country in the next few hours, Mr Macron said.
French influence over its former colonies has waned in West Africa in recent years, just as popular vitriol has grown.
Its forces have been kicked out of neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso since coups in those countries, reducing its role in a region-wide fight against deadly Islamist insurgencies.
Niger evacuation flights land in Europe - in pictures
Until the coup, Niger had remained a key security partner of France and the US, which have used it as a base to fight an insurgency in West and Central Africa's wider Sahel region.
France's military base in Niger's capital, Niamey, had become the centre of anti-French protests since the July 26 coup.
Groups have regularly gathered on the street outside to call for the departure of troops stationed in the capital.
On one Saturday this month, tens of thousands rallied against France, slitting the throat of a goat dressed in French colours and carrying coffins draped in French flags.
At the same event, some people carried pro-Russian signs.
Mr Macron said he still regarded democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum, currently held prisoner by the coup leaders, as the country's legitimate leader and had informed him of his decision.
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
RESULT
Brazil 2 Croatia 0
Brazil: Neymar (69'), Firmino (90' 3)
The five pillars of Islam
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
