NIAMEY: Niger’s junta announced Sunday that the country had closed its airspace, warning that any attempt to violate it would meet with an “active and direct reply.”
In a statement, Niger’s new military rulers said, “Confronted with the risk of intervention, which is becoming clearer through the homework of neighboring nations, the country’s airspace is closed from Sunday… for all airplanes until further order,”.
Niger Rulers Close Air Space Citing ‘Threat of Intervention’
The development came as the deadline from the West African bloc for Niger’s leaders to hand back control to the elected President Mohamed Bazoum was due to end. The West African bloc ECOWAS earlier issued Niger’s new rulers with an ultimatum to surrender within the week or face military intervention.
President Mohamed Bazoum’s government was toppled on July 26 when men of his own guard imprisoned him at the presidency.
In a statement, ECOWAS commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah said a clear message has been given to the N Niger’s junta to reinstate their unconstitutional acts.
The African country has played a major role in West strategies to fight and combat insurgencies with the support of the United States and France. Some reports suggest that anti-French sentiment in the region is on the rise because of alleged Russian involvement in the West Africa while the presence of the Wagner group has also grown in the continent.
Meanwhile, in the statement, Moscow has warned against military interference from outside Niger. Similarly, Mali and Burkina Faso have also warned against any military action in Niger, saying that it would be an open announcement of war against them.
Earlier, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that they also would oppose any military interference in Niger. Ennahar TV quoted the President as saying Algeria is firmly against any military intervention in Niger.
