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Burkina Faso and Mali have deployed warplanes in the Niger Republic following the threat of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) to send its standby force to restore democratic order in the country.
This comes amid a disclosure by ECOWAS that an undisclosed date has been chosen to send troops of its standby force to the Niger Republic if all diplomatic options fail.
The regional body had insisted that the Niger putschists must reinstate deposed President, Mohamed Bazoum, or face stinging sanctions, including a possible military invasion.
However, the General Abdourahmane Tchiani-led junta has held firm despite economic sanctions against them and vowed to resist any military intervention.
Their stance was heavily backed by Mali and Burkina Faso, two nations also under the control of coupists. The duo warned that any military action against Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.
In a joint statement, the governments of Burkina Faso and Mali said, “The disastrous consequences of a military intervention in Niger could destabilise the entire region.”
Meanwhile, at the end of a two-day meeting of ECOWAS Defence Chiefs in Accra, Ghana's capital, this week, Abdel-Fatau Musah, the body's Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said troops are ready to go into Niger any time the order is given, even though he said the option of diplomacy was still available.
But, the Niger television station reported that a joint effort by Mali and Burkina Faso in support of Niger is afoot, adding that the ally nations had deployed warplanes to Niger's borders on Friday, August 18, 2023.
“Mali and Burkina Faso turned their commitments into concrete action by deploying warplanes to respond to any attack on Niger,” it said, noting the planes were Super Tucano fighter jets.