Niger closes airspace as it refuses to reinstate president
Niger closed its airspace on Sunday until further notice, citing the threat of military intervention from the West African regional bloc after coup leaders rejected a deadline to reinstate the country’s ousted president.
Earlier, thousands of junta supporters flocked to a stadium in Niamey, the capital, cheering the decision not to cave in to external pressure to stand down by Sunday following the July 26 power grab, according to Reuters.
The coup, the seventh in West and Central Africa in three years, has rocked the Sahel region, one of the poorest in the world. Given its uranium and oil riches and its pivotal role in a war with terrorists, Niger holds importance for the US, Europe, China and Russia.
Defense chiefs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have agreed a possible military action plan, including when and where to strike, if the detained president, Mohamed Bazoum, is not released and reinstated by the deadline.
ECOWAS leaders are scheduled to meet on Niger coup on Thursday.
“In the face of the threat of intervention that is becoming more apparent ... Nigerien airspace is closed effective from today,” a junta representative said in a statement on national television on Sunday evening.
He said there had been a pre-deployment of forces in two Central African countries in preparation for an intervention, but did not give details.
Niger last week revoked military cooperation agreements with France, which has between 1,000 and 1,500 troops in the country.
Sunday’s television broadcasts included a roundtable debate on encouraging solidarity in the face of ECOWAS sanctions, which have led to power cuts and soaring food prices.
The bloc’s military threat has triggered fears of further conflict in a region already battling the deadly insurgency that has killed thousands and forced millions to flee.