Any military action taken against the leaders of last week’s coup in Niger would be viewed as a “declaration of war” against those countries, according to the military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali.
Following threats from West African leaders to use force to restore deposed Niger President Mohamed Bazoum, Niger’s neighbors on Monday issued the warning in unified declarations that were read out on their national broadcasters.
“The transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali express their fraternal solidarity … to the people of Niger, who have decided with full responsibility to take their destiny in hand and assume the fullness of their sovereignty before history,” the military governments of the two countries said.
“Any military intervention against Niger would be tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” they warned, adding that such a move could result in “disastrous consequences” that “could destabilise the entire region”.
The military authorities of Burkina Faso and Mali have expressed their refusal to adhere to the “illegal, illegitimate, and inhumane sanctions against the people and authorities of Niger” in response to the coup that took place in Niger on July 26. This coup has created ripples across West Africa, leading to divisions among the country’s former Western allies and regional bodies and other nations in the region.
The coup leaders in Niger, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former presidential guard chief, cited poor governance and dissatisfaction with President Bazoum’s handling of security threats from al-Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups as the reasons behind their actions.
This coup marks the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa, prompting immediate condemnation from the African Union, the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, and other influential powers.
The regional bloc ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on Niger, including a halt in all financial transactions and a freeze of national assets. It has also indicated the possibility of authorizing force to reinstate President Bazoum, who is believed to be under house arrest in Niamey, the capital.
In response to the sanctions, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have expressed their disagreement. Guinea’s President Mamady Doumbouya, whose government also came to power through a coup, stated that the sanctions would not solve the current problem and could lead to a humanitarian disaster extending beyond Niger’s borders. Guinea’s government has decided not to apply the sanctions, considering them illegitimate and inhumane, and has called on ECOWAS to reconsider its position.
Meanwhile, the coup leaders in Niger have attempted to consolidate their control by arresting top officials of the toppled government. The situation in Niger has drawn international concern, with the United States, France, and Germany calling for a restoration of President Bazoum to power.
Amid the coup’s aftermath, anti-French sentiments have fueled protests outside Paris’s embassy in Niamey, with demonstrators expressing support for Russia. There are concerns that the instability in Niger may present opportunities for groups like the Wagner Group, a Russian private mercenary company, to exert influence.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, spoke approvingly of the coup, while the Kremlin in Russia expressed serious concern over the situation in Niger. The developments in Niger are closely monitored by the international community due to their potential implications for regional stability and security.