Ahead of ECOWAS military invasion, Mali, Burkina Faso deploy warplane in Niger

The regional bloc had given Niger junta a one-week ultimatum to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum or face possible sanctions, including possible military action.

But the coup leaders called the bluff of ECOWAS and vowed to resist any military intervention from ECOWAS or any other body.

Subsequently, ECOWAS Defence Chiefs, at the end of a two-day meeting of ECOWAS Defence Chiefs in Accra, Ghana’s capital, said troops are ready to invade Niger and restore democratic rule in Niger.

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ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the option for diplomacy was still available.

But according to a Niger television station, the military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.

The television station said the military leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened Friday in Niamey to decide on “concrete measures” in case ECOWAS chooses to “escalate a war.”

Burkinabe minister of defence was quoted as saying: “We are ready, we will support Niger, we are also ready to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).”

Ahead of ECOWAS military invasion, Mali, Burkina Faso deploy warplane in Niger