In a display of solidarity, Mali and Burkina Faso’s ruling juntas dispatched delegations to Niamey on Monday, backing the leaders of Niger’s coup. The two nations previously cautioned that any outside interference in Niger would be seen as an outright “declaration of war.”
As pressure mounts from ECOWAS, the regional body, the coup leaders face a midnight deadline to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum. Failure to comply may trigger military action from the regional coalition.
President Bazoum’s detention on July 26 by the presidential guard led to Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani’s assumption of interim leadership, marking a significant shift in Niger’s political landscape.