As UN backs ECOWAS intervention, African troops enter The Gambia

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Senegalese troops enter The Gambia as UN backs ECOWAS interventionAccording to Africanews, Senegalese and other African troops have entered The Gambia on Thursday evening after the United Nations Security Council backed an ECOWAS intervention to ensure President Adama Barrow assumes power in the country.

The Senegalese army spokesman, Colonel Abdou Ndiaye confirmed to Reuters that they have entered The Gambia.

The 15-member UN Security Council cautioned ECOWAS to pursue political means first as joint troops enter the country.

The new Gambian President Adama Barrow was sworn in Thursday evening at The Gambian embassy in Dakar by the President of the Gambian Bar Association, Sheriff Tambedou.

He ordered the military in his inaugural speech to “lay down their arms and remain in the barracks or they will be regarded as rebels”.

The Gambian Army’s Chief of Defence Staff Ousman Badjie said on Wednesday night that he would not order his men to fight other African troops if they enter Gambian territory.

Yahya Jammeh had refused to step down despite the final intervention by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz who landed in the Gambian capital Banjul on Wednesday evening to convince him.

Some Gambians however celebrated in the streets of Banjul after the swearing-in of President Adama Barrow in Dakar.

 

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