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While the international community, including many African states, have condemned the coup in Niger, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has his own take.
In a long message posted to social media, Prigozhin blamed the situation in Niger on the legacy of colonialism and alleged, without evidence, that Western nations were sponsoring terrorist groups in the country. Niger was once a French colony and, before this week’s putsch, it had been one of the few democracies in the region.
Prigozhin still appears to be at large despite leading an armed rebellion against the Kremlin in June.
The short-lived uprising ended when Prigozhin and his troops agreed to head to Belarus but the militia leader was seen in St. Petersburg on Thursday meeting with an African dignitary on the sidelines of a summit between African nations and Russia.