Video: France accuses Azerbaijan of meddling in New Caledonia riots

On Thursday, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin accused Azerbaijan of “interference” in the political affairs of New Caledonia, a Pacific territory that has recently experienced deadly pro-independence riots.

“This isn’t a fantasy… I regret that some of the separatists have made a deal with Azerbaijan,” Darmanin said during an interview with broadcaster France 2. He added, “Even if there are attempts at interference… France is sovereign on its own territory, and so much the better.”

Azerbaijan dismissed the French allegations. “We completely reject the baseless accusations,” said Ayhan Hajizadeh, a spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry. “We refute any connection between the leaders of the freedom struggle in Caledonia and Azerbaijan.”

In New Caledonia, a gendarme was killed on Thursday by an “accidental gunshot,” bringing the death toll in the unrest since Monday to five, including two gendarmes.