The Government is finalizing the evacuation —by air— of more than 70 Spaniards who are currently in Niger due to the instability of the African country, which suffered a coup d'état last week at the hands of a group of Nigerien soldiers who are holding the president hostage of the country, according to sources from the Ministry of Defense.
The imminent evacuation was an open secret, after yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs urged all compatriots residing in Niger to contact the Spanish Embassy "for any eventuality that may arise, any need".
According to sources from the department headed by Margarita Robles, the government's decision is explained by the absence of commercial flights after the closure of airspace in Niger and the current instability in which the country is plunged, which is considered by Spain as the "last great ally” in the Sahel.
The Department of Homeland Security is closely monitoring the consequences of the coup d'état in the country with which Spain collaborates in the fight against mafias that traffic in human beings and against terrorism.
For several days now, the heads of the Spanish Embassy in Niger have made available to the Spanish in Niger an email and a consular emergency telephone number to coordinate the evacuation, the details of which have not been revealed so as not to jeopardize the operation .
Last April, the Government evacuated 72 people from Sudan who remained trapped in the African country due to fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries. Spain successfully completed the risky operation, in which 34 Spaniards and 38 other citizens of eleven nationalities residing in Sudan were rescued.
