Warning to Brits in Niger to depart as Wagner group targets unstable nation
The Foreign Office has quickly withdrawn its workers from Niger after a army take-over led to unrest and Wagner Group mercenaries concentrating on the unstable African nation.
Announcing the withdrawal in its newest journey replace, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warned Britons in opposition to all journey to Niger for safety causes.
The assertion reads: “FCDO advises against all travel to Niger, including the capital city of Niamey, for security reasons.
“Travel inside or out of Niger is at your individual danger. The FCDO can’t supply recommendation on the security of travelling to any departure level inside Niger. We have quickly withdrawn our UK workers from Niger and our embassy is working remotely”.
It comes more than 10 days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the BBC Wagner Group fighters were taking advantage of instability in the republic.
Soldiers overthrew Niger’s democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July and quickly entrenched themselves in power, rebuffing most dialogue efforts and keeping Mr Bazoum, his wife and son under house arrest in the capital, Niamey.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced on August 3 that the first UK nationals had been evacuated from Niger after the coup on July 26.
The West had seen Niger as one of the last democratic countries they could partner with to counter a growing jihadi insurgency linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, pouring millions of dollars of military aid and assistance into shoring up the country’s forces.
The country has been ruled by a junta after the ousting of the president with suggestions the coup leaders have asked for help from Wagner, which is in neighbouring Mali.
Mr Blinken said he did not think Russia or Wagner instigated Niger’s coup, however Washington was apprehensive concerning the group “probably manifesting itself” in parts of Africa’s Sahel region.
He said: “I feel what occurred, and what continues to occur in Niger was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner, however… they tried to benefit from it. Every single place that this Wagner group has gone, dying, destruction and exploitation have adopted.”
Meanwhile, a delegation from regional nations arrived in Niger on Saturday in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to reach a peaceful solution.
The representatives from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS travelled to Niger’s capital, Niamey, and joined efforts by United Nations Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simao, in trying to find a solution to the crisis.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday Mr Simao would meet with the junta and other parties to try and facilitate a swift and peaceful resolution to Niger’s crisis.
He said: “What we wish to see is a return to the constitutional order. We wish to see the liberation of the president and his household, and restoration of his reputable authority.”
ECOWAS had ordered the deployment of a “standby force” on August 10 to restore constitutional rule in the country.
ECOWAS commissioner for peace and security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said on Friday that 11 of its 15 member states agreed to commit troops to a military deployment, saying they were “able to go” whenever the order was given.
The 11 member states do not include Niger itself and the bloc’s three other countries under military rule following coups: Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso.
The latter two have warned they would consider any intervention in Niger as an act of war. Niger’s state television said on Friday that Mali and Burkina Faso had dispatched warplanes in a show of solidarity.
Friday’s announcement was the latest in a series of empty threats by ECOWAS to forcefully restore democratic rule in Niger, some conflict analysts have said.
Straight after the coup, the bloc gave the junta seven days to release and restore Mr Bazoum, but the deadline came and went without action.
Ulf Laessing from think tank the Konrad Adenauer Foundation said: “The putschists gained’t be holding their breath this time over the renewed risk of army motion.”