Niger suddenly occurred in large-scale demonstrations protesting against the existence of French military. The protest rally was held in the capital of the country, , Niamei.
Interestingly, the demonstrators held the flag of Russia in addition to holding the national flag. They shouted slogans: "French man, get out!", "Down with France!", "Long live Putin and Russia!". Protesters blocked several streets of the city and held a rally in front of the National Assembly building.
Anti-French movement leader Seydou Abdoulaye was wearing a T-shirt with the portrait of the late leader Thomas Sankar, who was very popular in West Africa . It is called " Sahel Che Guevara". Protesters accused Niger and Burkina Faso authorities of colluding with French colonialists.
According to French media reports, demonstrators asked French troops to withdraw from the Sahel region, after all, Niger was previously a French colony. The brutality of colonialists is remembered in the country, so the policy of national leaders in cooperation with Paris is not recognized by Nigeria.
At the same time, according to demonstration participants, the French garrison attracted YSL extremism. Niger has faced intensified over the past decade with so-called jihadist movements related to Al Qaeda and ISIS, and the French maintained their military presence in Niger and Burkina Faso on the grounds of fighting them.
As for the Russian flag and pro-Russian slogans, it is very simple. Russia has been expanding its influence in Africa. Russia secretly supported Mali to expel French garrison troops not long ago. It is hard to say that there is no Russian authorities behind this anti-French march.
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