Niger: military intervention would be “a declaration of war” in Burkina Faso and Mali

2023-08-01 04:54:51

This is the world warned. A military intervention in Niger, shaken by a coup fomented by the military, would be “a declaration of war” in Burkina Faso and Mali, they warn this Monday evening in a press release. Niger’s neighboring countries had threatened on Sunday to use force if deposed President Mohamed Bazoum was not restored to office by Sunday.

The governments of Burkina Faso and Mali, themselves born of coups, “warn that any military intervention against Niger would amount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali”. They “warn against the disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger which could destabilize the entire region”.

On Sunday, West African countries set a one-week ultimatum to the military junta in Niger for a “full return to constitutional order”, saying they did not rule out a “use of force” if this was not the case. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has also decided to “suspend all commercial and financial transactions” between its member states and Niger, and to freeze the assets of military officials involved in the coup. ‘State.

Paris denies a French military intervention

The soldiers who took power in Niger had earlier in the day accused France of wanting to “intervene militarily” in Niger. “In its line of conduct, going in the direction of finding ways and means to intervene militarily in Niger, France, with the complicity of certain Nigeriens, held a meeting at the staff of the National Guard of Niger , to obtain the necessary political and military authorizations” in order to restore Mohamed Bazoum, the junta said in a press release.

At the start of the evening, the head of French diplomacy, Catherine Colonna, firmly denied these accusations. “It’s wrong,” she said on the BFMTV channel. “We have to dismantle the intox and not fall into the trap”, she also declared about the anti-French slogans which notably flourished during a demonstration in front of the French embassy in Niamey on Sunday. Thousands of demonstrators in favor of the military putsch wanted to enter the embassy.

French President Emmanuel Macron threatened on Sunday to respond “immediately and intractably” to any attack against French nationals and his interests in Niger.