AFP says statement on German, US ambassadors being told to leave Niger is 'unauthentic'

(Reuters) - AFP said on Friday it had deleted an earlier post that said Niger's military rulers had given the German ambassador 48 hours to leave, as the statements it was based on had been declared "unauthentic by authorities".

A similar post relating to the U.S. ambassador was also deleted, it said. The U.S. State Department said Niger's foreign ministry has told the U.S. government that images of letters circulating online calling for the departure of certain American diplomatic personnel were not issued by the ministry.

Earlier on Friday, Niger's junta ordered French ambassador Sylvain Itte to leave the country.

(Reporting by Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru; Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O'Brien)