France ready to back sanctions over ‘dangerous’ Niger coup, says Macron

President condemns rebellion as completely illegitimate' and calls for release of democratically elected Mohamed Bazoum

Emmanuel Macron has said the French government is prepared to support sanctions against the rebellious soldiers behind the coup in Niger, as he described developments in the country as dangerous" for the wider Sahel region.

The French president's comments came as western powers scrambled to preserve a key ally in a region that has been destabilised by jihadist insurgencies, coups, and interventions by the Wagner mercenary group as Russian flags appeared at prominent sites around Niger's capital, Niamey.