Niger coup: West African leaders commit troops for navy intervention
Soldiers from 11 West African nations are “ready” to be despatched into coup-hit Niger to revive ousted president Mohamed Bazoum, officers have mentioned.
It comes after leaders of the international locations agreed to commit troops for a navy operation in Niger, led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“We are ready to go anytime the order is given,” the ECOWAS commissioner for peace and safety, Abdel-Fatau Musah, mentioned in Ghana’s capital, Accra, on Friday.
“Our troops are ready to respond to the call of duty of the region.”
However, he didn’t give particulars of when the operation could possibly be launched.
Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum
Instead, he urged that an ECOWAS delegation may go to the nation over the weekend with a purpose to maintain talks with Niger’s coup leaders.
“We can stand down the military option,” he mentioned.
“It [military intervention] is not our preferred option – but we are obliged to do it because of the intransigence of the regime and the obstacles they’ve been putting in the way of a negotiated settlement.”
Read extra:
Russia will look on Niger coup ‘very favourably’
Niger’s ousted president says he is a ‘hostage’
Niger is at present suspended from ECOWAS following final month’s coup. Three different international locations underneath navy management, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, are additionally suspended from the bloc.
The latter two have warned they are going to take into account any navy intervention in Niger by the bloc as an act of conflict.
A map exhibiting the ECOWAS space and its suspended members
The 11 international locations which have dedicated troops make up the energetic members of ECOWAS, together with Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana.
ECOWAS has beforehand threatened navy intervention except coup leaders reinstate democratically elected President Bazoum – who was overthrown by members of the presidential guard on 26 July.
He has been underneath home arrest ever since.
Earlier this month, coup leaders vowed to prosecute deposed President Bazoum for “high treason” and undermining state safety.
Niger’s junta supporters participate in an illustration in Niamey, Niger
General Abdourahmane Tiani (proper) was declared as the brand new head of state of Niger
If discovered responsible, President Bazoum may face the dying penalty, in accordance with Niger’s penal code.
The new ruling junta has been hit by sanctions which have pushed up meals costs up by 60% and resulted in 10-hour-long electrical energy cuts.
But the troopers just lately doubled down and introduced a 21-member cupboard to control the nation.