Niger revokes military accord with European Union, ministry says

PHOTO CAPTION: French soldiers conduct a simulated raid alongside U.S. Marines during Exercise Raven, May 22, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Henry Rodriguez via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

NIAMEY (Reuters) - Niger's ruling junta has revoked the country's military partnership with the European Union, the foreign ministry said on Monday, withdrawing its permission for an EU programme set up to bolster the security forces.

The EUCAP Sahel Niger civilian mission was launched in 2012 to help the security forces fight militants and other threats. Around 120 Europeans are permanently deployed there, according to its website.

Niger's junta, which took power in a coup in July, has also demanded the departure of French troops that were helping to fight Islamist militants.

(Reporting by Abdel-Kader Mazou and Moussa Aksar; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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