Soldiers from 11 West African nations are “ready” to be despatched into coup-hit Niger to revive ousted president Mohamed Bazoum, officers have stated.
It comes after leaders of the nations agreed to commit troops for a army 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, stated 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 might go to the nation over the weekend in an effort to maintain talks with Niger’s coup leaders.
“We can stand down the military option,” he stated.
“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.”
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Niger is presently suspended from ECOWAS following final month’s coup. Three different nations underneath army management, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Mali, are additionally suspended from the bloc.
The latter two have warned they may contemplate any army intervention in Niger by the bloc as an act of battle.
A map exhibiting the ECOWAS space and its suspended members
The 11 nations which have dedicated troops make up the lively members of ECOWAS, together with Nigeria, Senegal, and Ghana.
ECOWAS has beforehand threatened army intervention until 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 indication in Niamey, Niger
General Abdourahmane Tiani (proper) was declared as the brand new head of state of Niger
If discovered responsible, President Bazoum might face the loss of life 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.
Content Source: information.sky.com