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00:00 Unwelcome and now escorted out.
00:04 Under the watch of local troops, the first convoy of French soldiers has begun withdrawing
00:08 from Niger.
00:10 These are some of the 400 who were stationed in the strategic three-border zone where Niger,
00:15 Mali and Burkina Faso meet, a hotbed for armed groups including Islamic State.
00:21 They've rejoined the 1,000 French troops in the capital, Niamey, before they all head
00:25 east to cross the border into Chad.
00:28 The withdrawal comes after relations between Paris and Niamey rapidly declined following
00:32 the military coup in July.
00:36 Thousands of people had demonstrated to demand that French troops leave after France, Niger's
00:41 former colonial ruler, stood by ousted leader Mohamed Bazoum.
00:46 "If the people of Niger as a whole have decided that a particular force should leave, then
00:54 that force must leave.
00:55 That is the will of the people and the will of the people must always be respected."
01:00 "We will ensure they leave the country in good health and peace, that not a hair of
01:08 anyone's head will be touched by anyone from our country.
01:12 That's why we're keeping an eye on them."
01:15 There are still a handful of EU soldiers and several hundred Italian and German soldiers
01:20 in Niger as well as around 1,000 American troops.
01:24 None have indicated plans to withdraw, but the US is suspending almost half a million
01:29 euros in assistance to the government after announcing it's officially designated the
01:34 July ousting of President Bazoum a coup.
01:37 Washington says it will continue life-saving humanitarian aid to the people of Niger, but
01:43 other assistance won't be resumed until the junta takes action to return the country to
01:48 democratic rule.
01:49 [BLANK_AUDIO]