Mutinous soldiers who staged a coup in Niger declared their leader the new head of state. 9News
Spokesman Colonel Major Amadou Abdramane said on state television that the constitution was suspended and General Abdourahmane Tchiani was in charge.
The coup sparked international condemnation and the West African regional group ECOWAS, which includes Niger and has taken the lead in trying to restore democratic rule in the country, scheduled an emergency summit in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, on Sunday. Extremists in Niger have carried out attacks on civilians and military personnel, but the overall security situation is not as dire as in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso — both of which have ousted the French military. Mali has turned to the Russian private military group Wagner, and it’s believed that the mercenaries will soon be in Burkina Faso.
If the United States designates the takeover as a coup, Niger stands to lose millions of dollars of military aid and assistance. Elsewhere, people rested after traditional midday prayers and others sold goods at their shops and hoped for calm. A western military official in Niger who was not authorised to speak to the media also said the military factions were believed to be negotiating, but that the situation remained tense and violence could erupt.
The United States in early 2021 said it had provided Niger with more than $750 million in military assistance and training programs since 2012, one of the largest such support programs in sub-Saharan Africa.The United States has more than 1000 service personnel in the country.Some military leaders who appear to be involved in the coup have worked closely with the United States for years.
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