HARROWING

French Diplomats Held Hostage in Niger and Denied Food, Macron Says

Sylvain Itte, France’s ambassador to Niger, is surviving on “military rations” while being held hostage, Macron said.

Several French diplomats, including the country’s ambassador to Niger, are being held hostage at the French embassy in Niger by the military junta that seized control of the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday. The military junta had sought to expel the ambassador, Sylvain Itte, after seizing power in July. But with the French refusing to recognize their authority and continuing to back Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, Itte refused to leave his post. Now, he and others are “literally being held hostage at the French embassy,” Macron said. He “cannot go out, he is persona non grata and he is being refused food,” Macron said of Itte. Deliveries of food are being denied to the embassy, leaving diplomats to survive off of “military rations.” The French president said any solutions would lie with Bazoum, the officially recognized leader of the country. “I will do whatever we agree on with President Bazoum because he is the legitimate authority and I speak with him every day.”