PRETORIA, August 3. /TASS/. The mutineers who captured power in Niger following a coup d’etat announced that they will not succumb to sanctions pressure.

On the country’s Independence Day, hundreds of residents took to the streets to support the military from the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).

The evacuation of foreigners from the African republic is underway.

TASS collected the main information on the situation in Niger following the coup.

Sanctions pressure

The decision to introduce economic and trade sanctions against Niger was made at the July 30 summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the Nigerian capital of Abuja. Among other things, Nigeria has stopped supplying electricity to Niger.

General Abdourahamane Tchiani, who was proclaimed head of state by the mutineers, asserted that Niger would not bend under international pressure nor would it reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

Economic pressure on Niger was exacerbated by the World Bank’s decision to suspend providing funds to the country for any operation with the exception of private sector programs.

Rallies and demonstrations

On Niger’s Independence Day marked on August 3, crowds of people attended rallies supporting the CNSP. According to France-Presse, at the demonstrations in the capital, people were carrying the national flags of Niger and Russia.

Evacuation of foreigners

Despite Tchiani’s statements that the French "have no objective reasons to leave Niger," the operation to evacuate French citizens continued and was completed. The number of those evacuated by France’s Air and Space Force reached 1,079, including nationals from 50 countries.

On Thursday, the first groups of Spaniards and British left Niger. The UK has also announced staff reduction at its embassy in Niger. The US Department of State made a similar decision prescribing some of its diplomats to leave the country.

International reaction

Ousted President Bazoum has discussed the coup with a number of world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French leader Emmanuel Macron.

Additionally, Bazoum had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who said that Washington intended to seek that the country’s legitimate government return to power.

Threat of intervention

Nigeria’s armed forces have not yet been ordered to invade Niger, said Nigerian Defense Ministry Spokesman, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau. He added that "several options of reacting to this crisis" were put forward at the recent ECOWAS summit. According to him, military intervention was being looked at as a last resort.