Multiple countries announce evacuation of citizens from Niger
(VOVWORLD) - Several European countries on Tuesday announced plans to evacuate their citizens from Niger due to a recent coup d’etat there.
 Nigerien security forces disperse pro-coup protesters outside the French Embassy. (Photo: Reuters)
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The first of three planes carrying mostly people returning from Niger to France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, or Denmark landed in Paris early Wednesday. But a pullout of France's 1,500 troops in Niger is not yet on the agenda.
Earlier, Spain and Italy announced preparations to bring their citizens home. Germany urged its citizens in Niger to take a French evacuation flight home.
A closure of Niger’s airspace by the coup forces is making it difficult for European citizens to leave the country.
The European Union said there are no plans to withdraw its staff working in Niger, but they will be repatriated if the need arises.
The US also has no plans yet to evacuate its citizens from Niger. The US Defense Department said it has no immediate plans to withdraw the 1,000 American troops stationed in Niger. But it has suspended security cooperation with Niger.