 French ambassador given 48 hours to leave Niger. Recently, Niger's Hunter, which took over power on July 26, 2023, announced that they had given the French ambassador 48 hours to leave the country as bilateral ties continued to deteriorate rapidly. The Hunter said Sylvain it had refused to respond to an invitation to meet Niger's foreign minister to hold discussions on a way forward. France, a former colonial power, said the Puchas have no authority to order such an expulsion. Paris opposes July's coup, saying that ousted President Mohammed Bazoum, who has been in captivity ever since the coup, must be returned to office. The announcement was made through a press release by Niger's foreign minister, installed by the Hunter. This follows a series of statements and demonstrations hostile to France. This was seen when a pro-coup demonstration took place with about 1,000 supporters of the Hunter flying Russian flags, voicing support for the Wagner group and throwing rocks at every passing politician's vehicle. The demonstrators also denounced the French presence and that of other foreign bases. The French foreign ministry responded by saying that it had taken note of the Puchas. Further indicating that Puchas do not have the authority to make this request, the ambassador's approval comes solely from the legitimately elected Nigerian authorities, the ministry added. General Abdulrahman Dkihani, Niger's coup leader, pledged last week to return the West African nation to civilian rule within three years. He made the announcement after meeting mediators from the West African regional bloc Iqours in the capital, Niome. It should be noted that the Hunter, led by Abdulrahman Dkihani, said the defense and security forces had decided to topple the regime due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance. He also announced that the solution of the country's constitution, the suspension of state institutions and the closure of the country's borders. Iqours was led by Nigerian President Bola to enable threatened military action to reverse last month's overthrow of President Buzum if talks fail. The Hunter had said that Niger did not want a war but would defend itself against any foreign intervention. Niger's Hunter clearly warned that if any attack were to be undertaken against them, it would not be a walk in the park like some people seem to think. General Dkihani also reiterated his criticism of what he called the illegal and inhumane sanctions imposed by Iqours on the landlocked, impoverished country. This has included cutting electricity, resulting in blackouts in Niome and other major cities, as well as blocking crucial imports. Glory drivers have been stuck for weeks waiting to bring in supplies, forcing up food prices. Iqours rejected the three-year timeframe after recent discussions. However, Iqours said it is not accepting any prolonged transition again in the region, calling on the Hunter to get ready to hand over in the shortest possible time. It is worth noting that regional efforts to reverse the coup have been backed by the US and France, which both have military bases in Niger. These bases are part of efforts to tackle Jihadist groups in the wider Sahel region. The Hunter leader, who headed the presidential guard before seizing power on July 26, said military intervention could worsen the Islamist insurgencies linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State Group. The coup shows similar recent takeovers in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali. And the influence of Russia in the wider Sahel region is also growing through its mercenary group, Wagner. As the events in Niger continue to unfold, it raises concerns about why almost all African countries working with France have problems and what will become of Niger's relationship with France and other Western powers. Is Niger ready to completely cut ties with France? And if they do, will the situation in Niger change? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. Thank you for watching. Don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel as we bring you more updates from across Africa.