A senior US diplomat says Niger's junta has told him they will kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum if neighboring countries attempt a military intervention to restore his power, two Western officials told The Associated Press.
They spoke to the AP shortly before the West African bloc ECOWAS said it had ordered the deployment of an "intervention force" to restore democracy in Niger after its deadline on Sunday expired to reinstate Mr. Bazoum. The threat to the ousted president is raising the stakes for both ECOWAS and the junta, which has shown a willingness to step up its actions since taking power on July 26.
Niger was seen as the last country in the Sahel region, south of the Sahara Desert, with which Western nations could partner to combat jihadist violence linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, which has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. The international community is scrambling to find a peaceful solution to the country's leadership crisis.
Nine leaders from the 15 West African member countries gathered in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Thursday, August 10, 2023, to discuss next steps. Speaking after the talks, the president of the ECOWAS commission, Omar Alieu Touray, said he could only reaffirm the decisions taken by "the military authorities of the sub-region to deploy a force of 'community intervention'.
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: We shall Kill President Bazoum after any Military Intervention - Niger Junta Warned){kind=link}
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