Niger President Mohamed Bazoum remained held in the presidential palace on Thursday afternoon and it was unclear who was in charge of the country after soldiers on Wednesday evening declared a military coup that sparked widespread condemnation.
France, the country’s former colonial power, and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS called for Bazoum’s immediate release and a return to constitutional order. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said that constitutional order should be restored.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said cooperation with Niger’s government was contingent on its “continued commitment to democratic standards”.
The U.S. also supports taking action at the United Nations Security Council to de-escalate the situation in Niger, a spokesperson for the U.S. U.N. mission said.
African Union Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat said he had spoken on Thursday with Bazoum and that the president was “fine”, Russian news agency RIA reported.
Niger’s coup is the seventh in West and Central Africa since 2020 and could have grave consequences for democratic progress and the fight against an insurgency by jihadist militants in the region, where Niger is a key Western ally.
A new leader has not yet been publicly announced.
The coup was started out by the presidential guard, which is drawn from the armed forces and usually protects the president and his entourage, is headed by General Omar Tchiani.
Aneliese Bernard, director of a U.S.-based risk advisory group Strategic Stabilization Advisors, told Reuters uncertainty remained, and that political and security elites were still debating next steps.
Supporters of the coup ransacked and set fire to the headquarters of the ruling party in Niamey, the capital, on Thursday after the army command declared its backing for the takeover started by soldiers of the presidential guard.
(Reuters)