Thousands of protesters surround French army base in Niger

Thousands of people have surrounded a French military base in Niger, protesting against years of military intervention by the European country in the West African nation.

Protesters rallied near the army base on the outskirts of the capital Niamey on Friday, shouting, “Down with France, down with ECOWAS,” a reference to the Economic Community of West African States.

Demonstrators said the regional bloc was being “manipulated by France.”

They held the rally a day after the West African bloc approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niger. The French Foreign Ministry said Paris “gives its full support to all the conclusions” of West African leaders.