Following the coup in Niger, the coup leaders in Niger have shut down the country’s airspace until further notice, citing the prospect of military intervention from neighbouring neighbours. It comes after the Ecowas group of West African states sought the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum by Sunday.
However, there has been no hint of a military response, and Ecowas has not issued a comment yet.
France cautioned residents not to travel to the junta-aligned countries of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, and Air France has suspended all its flights. Mali and Burkina Faso, both of which are ruled by juntas following recent coups, said they will send delegations to Niger to “express solidarity.” According to Flightradar24, a transport jet took off from Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, and landed in Niger hours after airspace was blocked.
Because of the region’s escalating insecurity, former colonial power France issued a travel warning to its residents on Monday, advising them to avoid the Sahel region and to exercise caution due to anti-France sentiment. “It is critical that they limit their travel, avoid any gatherings, and keep themselves regularly informed of the situation,” said the foreign ministry in a statement.
After military chiefs from Ecowas, a bloc of 15 countries that includes Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, and Ghana, drew together a precise plan for use of force, Niger’s junta warned on Sunday that “a foreign power” was ready to strike the country. It had given Niger’s junta leaders until Sunday at 23:00 GMT to step down and reinstate the elected president. Earlier, Abdel-Fatau Musah, the EU’s commissioner for political affairs, peace, and security, stated that while “all the elements” of a “eventual intervention” had been worked out, the EU wanted “diplomacy to work.”
JUST IN: ECOWAS Chairman, Tinubu Calls For a New Meeting After Niger Junta Ignores 7-Day Deadline.
Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, faced domestic political opposition to intervention, with senators voting against military action. Senators from states bordering the two countries’ lengthy border protested vehemently, according to local media. Mr Tinubu has regularly threatened Niger’s junta with force, but any foreign investment requires authorisation from the National Assembly. Italy and Germany have both requested that the deadline for the reinstatement of President Bazoum be extended so that a diplomatic solution can be found.
On July 26, Mr Bazoum was overthrown, and Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani, commander of the presidential guard, declared himself the new leader. France and the rest of the European Union, as well as the United Nations and the United States, have all opposed the military coup. Since the coup, hundreds of foreigners have been evacuated from Niger.
The coup leaders appear unwilling to give power, and hundreds of their followers marched boldly on Sunday at a stadium in the capital, Niamey.
Burkina Faso and Mali have already stated that any outside military intervention in Niger would be considered a “declaration of war” against them. Both countries are members of Ecowas but have been suspended from the organisation since being taken over by the military. Niger is a major producer of uranium, a critical fuel for nuclear power, and was a crucial Western ally in the fight against Islamist extremists in West Africa’s Sahel area under Mr Bazoum.
TL;DR
Niger's coup leaders have shut down airspace until further notice due to the possibility of military intervention from neighboring countries. The Ecowas group of West African states sought the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum by Sunday, but no military response has been seen. France has advised residents not to travel to the junta-aligned countries of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, and Air France has suspended all flights. Mali and Burkina Faso have sent delegations to Niger to express solidarity. France issued a travel warning to its residents, advising them to avoid the Sahel region and exercise caution due to anti-France sentiment. Niger's president, Bola Tinubu, faces domestic political opposition to intervention, with senators voting against military action. Italy and Germany have requested that the deadline for President Bazoum's reinstatement be extended for a diplomatic solution. Since the coup, hundreds of foreigners have been evacuated from Niger. Burkina Faso and Mali have declared any outside military intervention in Niger a "declaration of war" against them.
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