US evacuates embassy in Niger
The United States has begun to partially evacuate its embassy in the African country of Niger. On Wednesday, the US State Department issued a directive in this regard. Such an initiative was taken by Washington a week after the military coup in Niger.
According to the US State Department’s travel guidelines, officials will stay at the US embassy in Niamey, the capital of Niger, only for urgent business. Those who are not engaged in urgent work will return home with their families. Routine operations of the embassy will be closed. Concerned individuals will only assist US citizens in leaving Niger.
At the same time, the US State Department has banned US citizens from traveling to Niger. US citizens in the country have been advised to leave Niger immediately.
A coup d’état took place in Niger on July 26. Members of the nation’s Presidential Guard led it. After the coup, the head of Niger’s presidential guard, Abdorahmane Chiani, declared himself head of the country’s interim government.
Niger’s President Mohammed Bajom was ousted during the coup. Since then, he has been imprisoned in the presidential palace in Niamey, the capital.
The election for president of Niger was won by Mohammed Bajom in 2021. He is known as pro-Western. He has advanced the fight against armed groups in Niger’s eastern and western regions.
The United States and France, which once colonized Niger, had been providing direct support to Mohamed Bajom for so long. Both countries reiterated their support for Bajom after the coup. In Niger, both nations maintain military installations.
After the coup, France and the European Union (EU) announced the end of security and financial cooperation with Niger. The United States is going to walk the same path. The United States, France, the United Nations and the African Union have demanded the release of prisoner Mohammed Bajom.
Public meeting with deposed president of Niger, leader of Chad
After losing power in a military coup, the democratic president of the African country Niger, Mohamed Bajom, was seen publicly for the first time. Bajom, imprisoned in the presidential palace in the capital Niamey, met with the interim president of Chad, another African country, Mohamed Idriss Deby Itno.
Chad’s presidential office released photos of the meeting between the two leaders. In the picture, Mohammad Bajom and Mohammad Idris Deby Itno are sitting side by side on a sofa. At this time Mohammad Bajom is seen smiling.
Chadian leader Idriss Déby Itno also reportedly met with the country’s coup d’état military officers during his visit to Niger. West African leaders have given Niger’s army seven days to give up power. Idris Deby then went to Niger to mediate.
Niger’s coup plotters have accused the outgoing government of trying to allow France to launch a military strike to free ousted president Mohamed Bazome.
A coup occurred last Wednesday in the West African country of Niger. Members of the nation’s Presidential Guard led it. Following the coup last Friday, Abdorahmane Chiani, the commander of the presidential guard, proclaimed himself to be in charge of the country’s temporary administration.
The election for president of Niger was won by Mohammed Bajom in 2021. He is seen as being pro-Western. In the eastern and western regions of Niger, he has made progress in the conflict with armed groups. Since the coup, he has been detained at the presidential palace.
The United States and France, the European power that once colonized Niger, had long provided direct support to Mohamed Bajom. Both countries reiterated their support for Bajom after the coup. France and the European Union have cut security and financial cooperation with Niger. They warned that the United States may take similar steps.
Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS also known as ECOWAS) held an emergency summit in Nigeria last Sunday and demanded the reinstatement of Bajom within a week. Otherwise, the bloc threatened to take “all steps” to restore constitutional order.