PRETORIA, August 9. /TASS/. The rebels who seized power in Niger have accused France of violating the African country's airspace, the AFP news agency reported.

According to the top brass controlling Niger, a French warplane took off from Chad’s capital of N’Djamena at 6:01 a.m. local time and at 6:39 a.m., it broke contact with air traffic control when entering Niger’s airspace. The plane was reported to have stayed in the African country’s airspace until 11:15 a.m. local time.

Niger closed its airspace on August 6, fearing foreign intervention.