The junta that seized power in Niger last month said that the French ambassador to Niger, Sylvain Itte, no longer had diplomatic immunity and police had been instructed to expel him.

The junta on Friday ordered the ambassador to leave the country within 48 hours in response to actions taken by the French government which it said were "contrary to the interests of Niger".

The visas of the ambassador and his family were cancelled, the junta said in a statement dated August 29 and confirmed as authentic by the junta's head of communications.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that the ambassador would stay in the country despite the junta's pressure and reiterated France's support to Niger's ousted president Mohamed Bazoum.