Tensions rise as West African nations prepare to send troops to restore democracy in Niger
The ECOWAS bloc said on Thursday it had directed a "standby force" to restore constitutional order in Niger after its Sunday deadline to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum expired.Hours earlier, two Western officials told The Associated Press that Niger's junta had told a top U.S. diplomat they would kill Bazoum if neighbouring countries attempted any military intervention to restore his rule.
"Ivory Coast will provide a battalion and has made all the financial arrangements ... We are determined to install Bazoum in his position. Our objective is peace and stability in the sub-region," Ouattara said on state television. On Thursday night after the summit, France's foreign ministry said it supported "all conclusions adopted." U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken said his country appreciated "the determination of ECOWAS to explore all options for the peaceful resolution of the crisis" and would hold the junta accountable for the safety and security of President Bazoum. However, he did not specify whether the U.S. supported the deployment of troops.
"The threat to kill Bazoum is grim," said Alexander Thurston, assistant professor of political science at the University of Cincinnati. There have been unwritten rules until now about how overthrown presidents will be treated and violence against Bazoum would evoke some of the worst coups of the past, he said.
"An ECOWAS invasion to restore constitutional order into a country of Niger's size and population would be unprecedented," said Nate Allen, an associate professor at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Niger has a fairly large and well-trained army that, if it actively resisted an invasion, could pose significant problems for ECOWAS. This would be a very large and significant undertaking, he said.
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