France is starting to evacuate French and European nationals from Niger from today, urging them to carry only a small bag with them, following the military coup d’état launched with the support of three other West African states ruled by insurgent soldiers.

The French Foreign Ministry cited the spate of violence targeting the French embassy in the capital Niamey as one of the reasons for the decision.

The closure of Niger’s airspace “does not allow our compatriots to leave the country by their own means,” the French ministry said.

The removal of European nationals comes amid a deepening crisis sparked by last week’s coup against Niger’s democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum. It began today for French and European citizens wishing to leave, the French ministry said in a statement, without giving further details.

The West African regional body known as ECOWAS (West African Economic and Monetary Union) announced travel and economic sanctions against Niger on Sunday and said it would use force if the coup leaders did not reinstate Bazoum within a week. Bazoum’s government was one of the West’s last democratic partners against West African extremists.

In a joint statement, the military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso said that “any military intervention against Niger would be considered a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”.

Meanwhile, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani announced on Twitter that Italy would also arrange flights to evacuate its nationals from Niger’s capital Niamey.

Algeria will support Niger in case of external military aggression, according to the Algerian publication Intel Kirby. The site reported on the potential invasion of Niger under the leadership of ECOWAS, stating that Algeria will not remain idle while its neighboring country faces an invasion.

There were already unconfirmed reports that the Algerian army has started increasing security measures and raising its level of readiness on the border with Niger.