France will begin evacuating its nationals from Niger on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, after a coup there last week toppled the country’s pro-Western leader.

The decision to move citizens out was prompted by attacks on the French embassy in the capital Niamey, and the closure of Niger’s airspace which made regular departures impossible, the ministry said in a statement.

France had earlier on Tuesday said that it was preparing an evacuation “in the face of a deteriorating security situation in Niamey” but gave no time frame.

The foreign ministry said France was offering to evacuate other European nationals wanting to leave.

Italy also said on Tuesday it would offer a special flight to repatriate its nationals from Niamey.

“The Italian government has decided to offer our fellow nationals present in Niamey the possibility to leave the city with a special flight for Italy,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani tweeted.

The ministry said it was “not an evacuation” but “a special flight for those who want to leave the country”.

Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, 63, was detained by his own presidential guard in a third coup in as many years in the Sahel, following putsches in neighbouring fellow former French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso.

Former colonial power France and the United States have between them deployed 2,600 soldiers in Niger to battle jihadists.