226 passengers, mostly Turkish citizens, who were stranded in the country due to the closure of the airspace after the military coup on 26 July, arrived at Istanbul Airport at 05.00 in the morning with a Turkish Airlines (THY) flight. Ramazan Kemat, who said that he was very happy to return to Turkey, said: "We had some troubles there. We were working on road construction there and things got a bit complicated. The soldiers seized the administration. We do not know what we will face because there is a vacuum of authority in the country. But there was no bad situation against Turks. We had friends in our company who wanted to leave, thank God for helping us. Our friends who wanted to come came, but we have many friends who continue to work there. Our consulate is really working very well, I thank them, they made a great effort during the evacuation today. We are very happy to be in our country."
THE MILITARY HAD SEIZED THE ADMINISTRATION
Following the process that started with the detention of President Mohamed Bazoum by elements of the Presidential Guard Regiment, Niger experienced its fifth coup since 1960, when it gained independence from France. On 26 July 2023, President Mohamed Bazoum and Interior Minister Hamadou Adamou Souley were detained at the Presidential Palace by elements of the Presidential Guard Regiment. Bazoum's administration was overthrown after a day-long military mobilisation and a group of soldiers calling themselves the "National Council for the Protection of the Homeland (CNSP)" seized power.
