The United States has hired a plane to evacuate its non-essential staff from Niger following a coup in the country.
The landlocked West African nation has been in the news lately following last week’s removal of President Mohammed Basoum by a group of soldiers attached to the presidential guard in the capital, Niamey.
The West African political bloc, ECOWAS, on Sunday gave the military junta a seven-day ultimatum to release the detained president and restore constitutional order in the country.
The United Nations Security Council has also demanded the immediate release of President Basoum who assumed office in February 2021 after he won the country’s presidential election.
France and Italy have also announced the plan evacuation of their citizens from Niger.
An official of the US State Department who confirmed the news to journalists on Thursday night said the flight, which is also open to American citizens wishing to leave the West African country, would depart from Niamey on Friday afternoon.
He added that consular services in Niger had started contacting hundreds of registered US citizens to ascertain whether they planned to stay or leave the country.
