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Coup attempt in Niger

Niger’s authorities revoke diplomatic passports of several top exiled officials

According to Agence Nigerienne de Presse, the embassies and missions are supposed to inform the authorities of relevant countries that these persons have been stripped of diplomatic passports

PRETORIA, September 1. /TASS/. The Nigerien foreign ministry has notified the country’s embassies and overseas missions that a number of the dissolved government and the presidential administration officials were stripped of their diplomatic passports, Agence Nigerienne de Presse (Nigerien Press Agency - ANP) said on Friday.

The list of those whose diplomatic passports have been revoked includes Niger’s exiled Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, exiled Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou, Niger’s Ambassador to France Aichatou Boulama Kan, as well as several presidential advisers. The embassies and missions are supposed to inform the authorities of relevant countries that these persons have been stripped of diplomatic passports.

Following the July 26 state coup in Niger, some of the country’s high-ranking government and administration officials have fled the country.

In late July, a group of military rebels in Niger announced the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum. They then established the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie, CNSP), headed by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, to run the country. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended Niger’s membership in the organization and imposed tough sanctions on the country. Apart from that, ECOWAS leaders demanded the rebels set Bazoum free and warned about a military resolution of the situation if he is not released.

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