Today, France completed the withdrawal of troops from its northern base in Niger as part of a planned departure from the West African country where a military junta staged a coup in July.
Almost 200 soldiers, 28 trucks and twenty armored vehicles left the Ualam military base, the junta spokesman said.
France's withdrawal is expected to be completed by the end of the year. About 1.500 French soldiers operate in Niger, training the army and conducting joint operations.
The announcement came weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would end its military presence in Niger and withdraw its ambassador from the country as a result of the coup that ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Bazum.
Bazum has been under house arrest with his wife and son for almost three months, and the junta cut off his electricity and water.
Bazum's lawyer said today that he managed to speak with the imprisoned president once over the weekend, who told him that he is fine, but that they no longer have regular contact with him.
"He's at home, his doctor was able to visit him and he's safe and sound. But we no longer have direct contact with him because their phones have been confiscated," said Reed Brody, a U.S. attorney on Bazum's team.
In the month after the junta took power, extremist-related violence rose by more than 40 percent, according to the Armed Conflict Locations and Events Data Project.
Bonus video:
