After two months of tension, the French army announces the start of the withdrawal of its forces from Niger this week

French Armed Forces Commander Thierry Burcard announced the start of the withdrawal of French army forces from Niger “this week,” after President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of military cooperation with Niger and the start of their gradual departure.

French local media said that the army will begin withdrawing its forces from Niger this week, after President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of military cooperation with Niger and the start of gradual departure.

French Armed Forces Commander Thierry Burcard said: “We will begin the withdrawal process this week in a regular and safe manner, in coordination with the Nigerians,” according to the website of Le Point magazine.

On September 24, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of military cooperation with Niger and the start of the gradual departure of 1,500 French soldiers “by the end of the year.”

The French decision comes after more than two months of tension with the military junta that has ruled Niger since the coup carried out on July 26 against elected president Mohamed Bazoum.

For its part, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported that the withdrawal of French forces announced by Macron will begin on Thursday, October 5.

The radio quoted the Army General Staff as saying, “The first to pack their belongings are 400 soldiers currently deployed in Oualam, along the border between Mali and Niger, as part of their participation in Operation Almahao with the Niger army to secure the Liptako region.”

French officers also revealed, according to the radio, that “once the 400 soldiers arrive at Niamey Air Base, they will board a plane heading to France.”

The same source added that "the pace of departure is being determined well and safely, in coordination with local authorities."

However, in recent days, the Military Council in Niger has denied the existence of technical coordination with Paris regarding the withdrawal of French forces, according to what the same radio indicated.

There are 1,500 French soldiers in Niger, after this country turned into a major center for its security deployment in the Sahel region following its withdrawal from Mali in 2022, also following a military coup.

French forces are deployed in three main locations in Niger: Military Base 101 in the capital, Niamey, where about a thousand soldiers are stationed, and in two “support” centers in the Thila Beri region, according to the “France 24” website.

The absence of consensus on the third presidential option threatens a new vacuum in the leadership of the Lebanese army

Beirut : There was no progress in the presidential file in Lebanon after the five-member committee agreed to go for the third option, at a time when it was reported that the visit of the Qatari envoy, Muhammad Abdel Aziz Al-Khulaifi, which was scheduled to start on October 5, was postponed after... Ambiguity about the outcome of the mediation of the Qatari security envoy, Jassim bin Fahd Al Thani, who made an offer about the withdrawal of the leader of the “Marada Movement,” Suleiman Franjieh, from the presidential battle, but it was rejected.

While the name of the Army Commander, General Joseph, emerges as a third option, it clashes with rejection from the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, MP Gebran Bassil, and a lack of clarity on the position on the part of Hezbollah, which is concerned about the future of its weapons and the decision on war and peace, while Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nabih Berri, despite his adherence to Franjieh’s nomination However, he did not issue any words hostile to General Joseph Aoun, and the Lebanese Forces did not issue a veto against him, even if they wanted to know his political and economic vision.

In Bassil's calculations, he will cut off the time until the end of the army commander's term in January 2024, with the aim of removing him from the presidential race and weakening his card. While waiting, and with the aim of avoiding a vacuum in the leadership of the army, as happened in the governance of the Bank of Lebanon after the presidency of the republic and the rejection of any appointments in the absence of the president of the republic, several proposals are being considered, including postponing the dismissal of the army commander, appointing a chief of staff, or having the highest-ranking officer assume the duties of commander, but some It is feared that none of these outcomes will be agreed upon, just as happened with the “Democratic Meeting’s” proposal to raise the retirement age by two years for all heads of military and security services.

It is known that the army commander is facing a political campaign against him by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, the latest of which is accusing him of complicity and not preventing the crossing of displaced Syrians across the border.

The army commander is facing a political campaign against him by the head of the Free Patriotic Movement, the latest of which is accusing him of complicity and not preventing the crossing of displaced Syrians across the border.

In response to these accusations, General Aoun affirmed, “Today the army faces many and increasing challenges at various levels, whether internally or along the borders. Despite the economic crisis and its repercussions, the army personnel carry out their duties with enthusiasm and conviction, and to the fullest extent, in all the missions assigned to them on land, sea, and air.” He said: “Perhaps the Syrian displacement crisis is the most severe challenge currently facing the army, whether infiltration across land borders or illegal migration across the sea,” noting that “the waves of displacement have increased remarkably in the past months, and we have warned against them repeatedly, and we have called on everyone to assume their responsibilities.” Each from his location.” General Aoun stressed, “The army is currently confronting this challenge alone, despite all the geographic, logistical, and numerical complications, and is exposed daily to suspicious campaigns against it.”

The Lebanese Army Guidance Directorate organized a field tour on the northern border to show how displaced Syrians infiltrated Lebanese territory. With the participation of more than 50 journalists and correspondents representing various Lebanese and foreign media outlets.

In the context of addressing the repercussions of displacement, the opposition, which is preparing a parliamentary petition to close the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , includes in its plan to work with the government, the League of Arab States, and the international community in order to distribute the displaced people in Lebanon among the Arab countries, so that each country is responsible for hosting 40,000 displaced people. At least, in addition to calling on the government and security forces to strictly control the borders with Syria.

The opposition is preparing a plan to distribute the displaced people in Lebanon among the Arab countries, so that each country will host at least 40,000 displaced people.

In what seems to be in harmony with the proposal of Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah to open the sea to allow the displaced to leave for Europe, a member of the “Strong Lebanon” bloc, MP Edgar Trabelsi, tweeted on the “X” platform, mocking the European Union’s demand to keep the displaced in Lebanon and wrote: “Who are more than For 4,000 years, we exported crafts, purple, and minds from our shores to Europe and contributed to building its metropolises. Now we will export the displaced to them and give them a greater opportunity to prove their humanity and apply integration theories, and they will receive certificates of good behavior from us in return,” he added, adding, “We have 220 kilometers of coast to export the displaced to the compassionate civilized world.”

Simultaneously, and after the press conference held by the Minister of the Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, yesterday, Wednesday, in which he affirmed that “Lebanon is not for sale,” the Minister of the Interior sent two letters to the governors, asking first to instruct the District Commissioners to circulate to the municipalities and mukhtars, prohibiting the acceptance of any type of gifts, conditional or unconditional. It is strictly conditional, forbidden by any party, in everything related to displaced Syrians and what may affect their stay in Lebanon and their lack of safe return to their country. The second request is to instruct the mayors to circulate to the municipalities and mukhtars, to report periodically every fifteen days on the measures mentioned in Circular 74 regarding the implementation of the decisions of the Council of Ministers regarding the Syrian displacement crisis.