The military council in Niger renewed its accusations against France of preparing for military intervention, amidst the escalating tensions between them since the coup.

In a recorded speech delivered via national television late on Saturday, Colonel Major Amadou Abdrhman accused Paris of "re-deploying its forces" in several West African countries, in preparation for launching "aggression" against the country.

He added that "France continues to deploy its forces in several ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) countries as part of preparations to launch aggression planned in cooperation with this group, particularly in Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Benin."

He also explained that since September 1, "two military transport aircraft of the A400M type and one Dornier 328 have been deployed as reinforcements in Ivory Coast," adding that "two multi-role Super Puma helicopters" and "about 40 armored vehicles" were deployed "in Candi and Malanville in Benin."

He also reported that on September 7, 2023, a French military ship docked in Cotonou (Benin) carrying personnel and military resources.

Additionally, he mentioned "about a hundred rotations of military cargo aircraft that facilitated the unloading of large quantities of military equipment in Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Benin."

He considered that "these maneuvers" aim to "ensure the success of military intervention against the country."