The first military planes carrying mostly European nationals evacuated from Niger landed in Paris and Rome on Wednesday, with France and other countries expected to fly more of their citizens out of the West African country after last week’s coup.
Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and his government were overthrown by members of his presidential guard on July 26 in the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa.
With the risk of conflict escalating, France, the former colonial power, Italy and Spain said they would evacuate citizens by air.
The first French flight left Niger on Tuesday evening and landed in Paris early on Wednesday with 262 people on board, according to journalists there.
An Italian military plane carrying 87 evacuees from Niger arrived in Rome early on Wednesday, according to Reuters journalists at the airport.
