Foreign nationals have lined up outside an airport in Niger’s capital waiting for a third evacuation flight, while a regional bloc continued talks about its response to the coup that took place last week.
According to international media reports, after a third flight was cancelled the night before, hundreds of people lined up outside the terminal at Niamey’s airport before sunrise on Wednesday, hoping to leave.
France, Italy and Spain all announced evacuations for their citizens and other Europeans following last week’s military coup, which ousted and detained President Mohamed Bazoum.
The United States has yet to announce plans for an evacuation. However, some have left with the help of the Europeans.
French forces in the capital, Niamey, evacuated hundreds of mostly French nationals to Paris on two flights on Tuesday, following concerns that their citizens and other Europeans risked becoming trapped by the coup.
The first of two French flights that landed in Paris overnight had 12 babies among 262 people aboard, most of them French but including evacuees from Niger, Portugal, Belgium, Ethiopia and Lebanon, France’s Foreign Ministry said.
An Italian military aircraft landed in Rome Wednesday with 99 passengers, including 21 Americans and civilians from other countries, said the Italian defence minister.
