France Rejects Niger’s Claim It Orchestrated Failed Mutiny

France has firmly denied allegations from Niger that it helped instigate a failed mutiny in which soldiers attacked a military airbase and the presidential palace in the capital, Niamey. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the accusations as “pure fantasy” on Saturday, a day after Niger’s ruling military council renewed its claims against Paris.

Soumana Boubacar, Niger’s government spokesperson, stated on Friday that the operation was part of a “vast network of collusion” directed by French President Emmanuel Macron’s administration. He alleged that disloyal elements within Niger were tasked with advancing Macron’s ambitions but claimed such efforts would invariably fail. In response, Barrot told RFI radio that France never intended or possessed the means to mobilize for the attack.

The incident highlights the deterioration of relations since General Abdourahamane Tchiani took power in a 2023 coup and shifted Niger’s military partnership from former colonial ruler France to Russia. The unrest began on August 29 at Base 101, located within Niamey’s international airport, where soldiers turned on their commanders and opened fire across the city. Fighting extended to the presidential palace and disrupted state broadcasting for several hours before the army, supported by Russian paramilitary fighters from the Africa Corps, recaptured the base the following day.

State media reported that hundreds of soldiers participated in the mutiny, with dozens killed or arrested. Niger’s government has since expanded its accusations to include unnamed African nations, naming Benin, Chad, Ivory Coast, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as alleged backers. Benin has rejected these claims, calling them implausible.

During its recent meeting, Niger’s government acknowledged for the first time that civilians died during the violence. Analysts suggest that Tchiani’s evidence-free accusations against France and other West African states are primarily aimed at influencing domestic public opinion. Despite the pivot to Russian support, attacks by al-Qaeda and Islamic State-linked fighters have continued, fueling frustration among frontline soldiers—a grievance experts identify as the true driver behind the mutiny. Tensions with Paris have also intensified over Niger’s seizure of uranium assets from the French nuclear company Orano.