Niger Coup: Burkina Faso, Mali Deploy Warplane Ahead Of Invasion

Following the threat of an invasion by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Burkina Faso and Mali have sent jets to the Niger Republic.

The Niger junta had been given a week to restore President Mohamed Bazoum or face serious penalties, including potential military intervention, according to the regional grouping.

The coup leaders, however, called ECOWAS’s bluff and promised to oppose any military involvement from ECOWAS or any other organization.

After a two-day meeting in Ghana’s capital, Accra, the ECOWAS Defence Chiefs said that forces were prepared to invade Niger and reestablish democratic rule there.

Diplomacy is still an option, according to Abdel-Fatau Musah, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security.

But according to a Niger television station, the military governments of Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.

The television station said the military leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger converged on Friday in Niamey to decide on “concrete measures” in case ECOWAS chooses to “escalate a war.”

Burkinabe minister of defense was quoted as saying: “We are ready, we will support Niger, we are also ready to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).”