First French evacuation planes from Niger land in France

Two French evacuation planes from Niger, arrived in France in the early hours of Wednesday, the French General Staff announced.

The first plane had more than 260 people on board, including 12 babies. Most passengers were French, but citizens of Niger, Portugal, Belgium, Ethiopia and Lebanon were on board.

The second flight is carrying citizens of France, Niger, Germany, Belgium, Canada, the United States, Austria and India, the newspaper Le Parisien said, citing the French Foreign Ministry.

Paris began evacuating its citizens on Tuesday, following a military coup on July 26.

According to information from the French General Staff, two other planes had also been sent to Niamey for the evacuation.

France has offered to evacuate people from other European countries from Niger as well. The Foreign Ministry in Berlin said that the Germans in Niger were advised to accept the offer.