France's ambassador in Niger is being held hostage at the French embassy by the military junta which has seized power in the West African nation, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

Sylvain Itte and other diplomats are being held at the embassy in Niamey after originally being ordered to leave the country in July.

"As we speak, we have an ambassador and diplomatic members which are being literally held hostage at the French embassy, and food is prevented from being delivered. They're eating military rations," Macron told reporters during a visit to Burgundy.

Itte “cannot go out, he is persona non grata," Macron said.