French troops are starting to withdraw from Niger and junta leaders give UN head 72 hours to leave

By SAM MEDNICK
Associated Press

COTONOU, Benin (AP) — The French military says it’s begun withdrawing from Niger following the July coup when mutinous soldiers toppled the country’s democratically elected president. More than 100 troops left in two flights from the capital Niamey on Tuesday in the first of what will be several rounds of departures between now and the end of the year. All are returning to France. Also Tuesday, Niger’s junta said it was giving the United Nations resident coordinator in Niger, Louise Aubin, 72 hours to leave the country. It cited “underhanded maneuvers” by the U.N. secretary-general to prevent its full participation in last month’s General Assembly in New York as one of the reasons.