SHOWING OFF: Members of Niger’s military junta arrived at a sports arena in Niamey, to cheers from supporters, on Sunday. Photo: STRINGER / Reuters / NTB
The coup plotters in Niger have closed the airspace and do not appear to yield to neighboring countries’ threats to use military force.
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In an announcement late Sunday night, the junta showed the West African cooperation organization Ecowas’ threat to use military force against the country.
One of the coup plotters’ moves is now to close all air traffic in the airspace over the country.
Ecowas had given the junta until midnight on Monday night to step down and hand power back to President Mohamed Bazoum.
The cooperation organization has not mentioned anything about when a possible attack might take place, but claims to have all the resources needed to carry out a military intervention.
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Facts about the coup in Niger
* Members of President Mohamed Bazoum’s own guard force have seized power in Niger and are holding him in custody.
* Before the military coup, Niger was considered one of the USA’s most stable partners in the region.
* The West African cooperation organization Ecowas has cut contact with the military junta in Niger and given the green light to use force if the president is not reinstated within a week.
* The EU condemns the coup and cuts budget support and security cooperation with the African country.
* Niger is a former French colony and a major recipient of Western aid. The country was ruled by the French colonial empire for over 60 years after the conquest in 1898.
* Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries and has experienced four coups since secession from France.
* The military coup in Niger could have far-reaching consequences for the EU’s attempts to stem the wave of migration via the Mediterranean. Niger is a transit country for migrants from countries south of the Sahara.
Source: NTB
sea view
NUPI researcher and Africa expert Morten Bøås told VG last week that the goal of Ecowas was to make the coup plotters cower in fear:
– They want the coup plotters to tremble in their pants, he said.
So far, there have been no signals that the junta outwardly shows any particular fear. There is now little indication that power will be returned to the president.
Africa’s coup belt: In three years there have been a total of six military coups in the highlighted countries:
A week and a half has passed since a group of generals seized power in Niger, and the reactions from the outside world have been strong.
The military coup has been condemned by both Western and African countries.
Earlier on Sunday, thousands of citizens gathered at a sports arena in the capital Niamey to express support for the military junta.
They expressed strong opposition both to Ecowas and to former colonial power France, which has also demanded that the junta step down.
Members of the junta were met with cheers when they arrived at the arena where the crowd had gathered.
Published:
Published: 07.08.23 at 10:51 am
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2023-08-07 08:51:39
#Threatened #war #Niger #deadline #expired
