Bayan News – On the verge of the one-week deadline set by the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), news has emerged of a potential military operation by ECOWAS forces in Niger to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to power. Antinécar Alhassan, Bazoum’s political advisor, announced the imminent military operation in the country.
According to Al Arabiya, he stated in an interview with the Russian news agency Sputnik on Saturday (August 5), “The latest warning was issued today, Sunday, so it is likely that the mobilization of forces will begin today.”
Alhassan added that the consequences of military intervention would be severe and would impact all neighboring countries of Niger.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also known as the Economic Community of West African States (in French: Communauté Économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest, CEDEAO), is a bloc consisting of 15 West African countries, including Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Benin, and Cape Verde. Military commanders of the bloc gathered in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, last week to discuss strategies for dealing with the latest coup in the West African coastal region.
On the same day that strict sanctions were imposed against the coup plotters in Niger, ECOWAS issued a seven-day ultimatum to the coup leaders in Niger, threatening “military intervention” if they did not release President Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted from power on July 26, and restore him to the presidency.
