The leader of the mutineers who seized power in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, said on Saturday that his country does not want war but will be ready to defend itself if necessary. “Neither the army nor the people of Niger want war, but we will resist any manifestation of it,” Tchiani was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
He pointed out that the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) do not realize that Niger has become the key to containing the destabilization of the region in the context of increased terrorist activity.
Tchiani added that the sanctions imposed against his country were aimed at putting pressure on the rebels and not finding a solution to the current situation.
In addition, Tchiani said that the rebels do not seek to seize power in the country, but to reach a solution that satisfies the interests of the people.
On Saturday, media reported that an ECOWAS delegation had arrived in the Niger capital and met with ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to assess the conditions of his detention.
Later that day, Reuters reported that the delegation also held talks with Tchiani.
On July 26, there was a coup in Niger and Bazoum was expelled and detained by his own guard, led by Tchiani.
Following the coup, ECOWAS suspended all financial aid to Niger, froze rebel assets, and imposed a ban on commercial flights to and from the country.
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In early August, during a summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby force to potentially force the Nigerien armed forces to reinstate Bazoum.
On Friday, ECOWAS Political Affairs Commissioner Abdel-Fatau Musah said ECOWAS chiefs of general staff had agreed on a date for the start of the military intervention but would not make it public.
(Sputnik/YAYA)
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