• 14:17 p.m.: Mohamed Bazoum's party denounces "abusive arrests", including those of ministers

Four ministers, a former minister and the leader of Mohamed Bazoum's party, the elected president overthrown in a coup, were arrested, according to a statement from the presidential party sent to AFP.

"After the kidnapping of the President of the Republic", Mohamed Bazoum, "the putschists return to the charge and multiply the abusive arrests", denounced the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS).

On Monday morning, the Minister of Petroleum, Mahamane Sani Mahamadou – son of former President Mahamadou Issoufou – and then the Minister of Mines, Ousseini Hadizatou, were arrested.

  • 12:37 p.m.: France has "no other objective" than the safety of its nationals in Niger, says the Quai d'Orsay

The France has "no other objective" than the safety of its nationals in Niger, the French Foreign Ministry said.

"Our priority is the safety of our nationals and rights-of-way, who cannot be subjected to violence, in accordance with international law. We have no other objective than that," the Quai d'Orsay said in a statement to Reuters.

  • 12:04 p.m.: Germany suspends development aid and budget support to Niger

Berlin announced, as Paris did two days ago, the suspension of its development aid and budget support to Niger after the military coup against elected President Mohamed Bazoum.

"We have suspended all direct support payments to the government of Niger," German Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told a regular press briefing in Berlin.

  • 11:47 a.m.: Kremlin calls for "restraint" and return to "legality"

The Kremlin called on "all parties to exercise restraint" in Niger and a return to "legality". "What is happening there is a serious concern," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We call for the restoration of legality in the country as soon as possible, for restraint on all sides."

  • 9:30 a.m.: The putschists accuse the France of wanting to "intervene militarily"

The putschists accused the France of "wanting to intervene militarily", a day after a summit of Niger's West African neighbors threatened to use "force" if Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated by Sunday. The Quai d'Orsay, for its part, said it had "no other objective" than "the safety" of French nationals and companies.

  • July 30 Essentials

The leaders of West African countries, meeting Sunday in Abuja in "special summit", gave an ultimatum of one week to the putschists in Niger to restore constitutional order, saying they do not exclude a "use of force". The suspension of "all commercial and financial transactions" was also decided. In the aftermath, the Chadian transitional president, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, arrived in Niamey to "see what he can bring to the settlement of the crisis".

In addition, thousands of people demonstrated in front of the France embassy in Niamey, before being dispersed by tear gas grenades, an AFP journalist said at a rally in support of the putschist military.

Finally, on the set of France 24, Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, the Prime Minister of Niger, said that the elected President Mohamed Bazoum, sequestered for four days by his presidential guard, "is doing well" and that he "has the morale" after the military coup.

With AFP and Reuters

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