France has finally yielded to pressure of the Nigerien military junta to leave the country after it’s earlier insistence to stay put.
The junta had asked the France’s ambassador to the country, Sylvain Itte, to leave the country but President Emmanuel Macron had insisted that the envoy would not leave.
The junta has consequently restricted the Nigerien airspace to French aircraft.
The military junta, in a communiqué by the National Council for the Protection of Homeland, which was transmitted to the African Air Navigation Security Agency (#ASECNA) on Saturday last week, decided to #restrict France access to its #air #space.
According to Niger, the country’s airspace remains open to all domestic and international commercial flights, with the exception of French aircraft and those chartered by France, including the Air France fleet.
In addition, all operational military flights and special flights remain prohibited, except with exceptional authorization from the authorities.
According to the junta, the decision symbolizes the will of the Nigerien people, in their government voice, to regain total control of their heaven and territory.
