Mutinous soldiers claimed to have overthrown Niger’s democratically elected president, announcing on state television late Wednesday that they have put an end to the government over the African country’s deteriorating security. | AP
The group, which is calling itself National Council for the Safeguarding of the Country, said it remained committed to its engagements with the international and national community.
Threats to Bazoum’s leadership would undermine the West’s efforts to stabilize Africa’s Sahel region, which has been overrun with coups in recent years. Mali and Burkina Faso have had four coups since 2020, and both are being overrun by extremists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. U.S. Blinken added that he had spoken with Bazoum on Wednesday, saying that he “made clear that we strongly support him as the democratically elected president of the country.”Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said the mutiny was a “nightmare scenario for Western powers who had betted on Bazoum and Niger as new security anchor for the Sahel.”
“We are here to show the people that we are not happy about this movement going on, just to show these military people that they can’t just take the power like this,” protester Mohammed Sidi said. “We are a democratic country, we support democracy and we don’t need this kind of movement.”U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Bazoum on Wednesday afternoon and “expressed his full support and solidarity,” the U.N. spokesperson tweeted.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Niger soldiers claim to have overthrown presidentNIAMEY, Niger– Soldiers claimed to have overthrown the Niger government on Wednesday following an apparent coup in the fragile state.
Read more »
Niger soldiers say President Bazoum's government has been removedColonel Amadou Abdramane says Niger's borders are closed, a nationwide curfew declared, and all institutions of the republic are suspended.
Read more »
UN, US condemn apparent coup attempt in NigerUNITED NATIONS, United States– The United Nations secretary-general spoke Wednesday with Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum and offered his 'full support' to the leader who has apparently been detained in a coup attempt, a UN spokesman said.
Read more »