Nigerien capital Niamey on Sunday witnessed peaceful protests against the French anti-jihadist force Barkhane deployed in the country, reported The Africa News.
During the protest, which was organized by civil society organizations operating under the umbrella of the M62 movement, the people marched from Toumo Square to the National Assembly.
The Nigerien people chanted slogans against the French army stationed in Niger, while praising Russia and decrying the increasing cost of living at the same time.
Launched in 2013, the Operation Barkhane was France’s second military initiative in the Sahel, a region in Africa that includes Mali, Niger, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon.
In August this year, France pulled the last of its troops out of Mali, bringing the country’s Operation Barkhane to an end. Notably, the political relations between Mali and France began turning sour following two military coups in Mali since 2020.
The arrival of Russian paramilitaries in the Sahel country at the invitation of the government was a key factor in France’s decision to pull out its forces. The Malian government even accused France of supporting jihadist groups. It claims that the Wagner group is not made of mercenaries but trainers helping local troops with equipment bought from Russia.
After exiting from Mali, France has made Niger its new hub for its troops, with close to a thousand soldiers based in Niamey. Some 3,000 French troops are still deployed in the Sahel region.
The Nigerien people continue to face regular and deadly attacks by jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group in the Sahel in the west and by Boko Haram and the Islamic State group in West Africa (Iswap) in the southeast.
The country has for years been home to several foreign military bases, including French and U.S. bases, dedicated to the fight against jihadists in the Sahel.
