Demonstration under Russian flags against the French military presence took place in another African state
A mass demonstration of protest against the French military presence in another African country. It's about Niger. Protest rallies were held in the country's capital city of Niamey.
Interestingly, the demonstrators, in addition to national banners, also held the flags of the Russian Federation. They chanted slogans: "Barkhan, get out!" (the French operation is called "Dune"), "Down with France!", "Long live Putin and Russia!". The protesters blocked several streets of the city and staged a rally in front of the National Assembly building.
According to the French press, the demonstrators are demanding the withdrawal of French troops, which they call colonial, from the Sahel zone. After all, there is still an impressive military contingent in Niger. Although France has withdrawn troops from Mali, Niger, which remains Paris's main military ally in the region, has stationed French troops on its soil.
This situation is not to the liking of the locals. After all, Niger was a colony of France for a long time. The barbarism of the colonialists is well remembered in the country, so the policy of the national leadership cooperating with Paris does not meet with the approval of the Nigerians.
As for Russian flags and pro-Russian slogans, they are explained quite simply. In Africa, for many people, Russia is still seen as the leader of the global anti-colonial movement. The memory of Soviet assistance to African countries is also alive.
Seydou Abdoulaye, leader of the anti-French movement, spoke at the rally wearing a T-shirt with a portrait of Thomas Sankar, the late leader of neighboring Burkina Faso, who is very popular in West Africa. It is called "Che Guevara of the Sahel". The protesters accuse the authorities of Niger and Burkina Faso of complicity with the French colonialists. At the same time, according to the participants of the demonstration, France simultaneously contributes to the spread of jihadism in the region.
Niger, like other countries of the Sahel, in the last decade has faced the intensification of jihadist movements that are associated with Al-Qaeda (*banned in Russia as a terrorist organization) and the Islamic State*.
Allegedly, in order to fight the jihadists, the French maintain their military presence in Niger and Burkina Faso, and the French army was recently asked from Mali, where their main contingent was located, as they say. But the inhabitants of these countries are clearly unhappy with the presence of French troops on their territory.
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