Niger closes airspace as regional deadline to reinstate president expires

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Niger’s new army junta has closed the nation’s airspace for an indefinite interval, citing the specter of army intervention by west African states after a deadline that they had set handed with out the restoration of the ousted president.

“Within the face of the specter of intervention that’s changing into extra obvious . . . Nigerien airspace is closed efficient from as we speak,” a junta spokesman mentioned in an deal with on nationwide tv late on Sunday.

The closure has compelled airways to reroute or divert flights. Air France mentioned on Monday it had suspended flights to Burkina Faso and Mali till August 11.

Professional-western President Mohamed Bazoum was final month deposed in a coup by the Nationwide Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP). Omar Tchiani, the pinnacle of the presidential guard, declared himself because the nation’s chief.

The Financial Group of West African States (Ecowas) gave the putschists a seven-day deadline to return the democratically elected Bazoum to energy and threatened to make use of “all measures crucial”, together with using power, if the junta didn’t comply. The deadline handed on Sunday.

Within the televised deal with, the junta’s spokesman mentioned any makes an attempt to violate the closure of Nigerien airspace can be met with an “energetic and quick response”.

“Niger’s armed forces and all our defence and safety forces, backed by the unfailing help of our folks, are able to defend the integrity of our territory,” he mentioned.

In a separate assertion, the junta mentioned two central African nations had made “pre-deployment in preparation for intervention”, however didn’t title the nations.

Hundreds of pro-junta supporters attended a packed rally on the Common Seyni Kountché stadium within the capital Niamey on Sunday decked within the nationwide colors, waving Russian flags and carrying portraits of members of the ruling junta.

Common Mohamed Toumba, one of many leaders of final month’s coup, advised the group on the stadium that the junta was conscious of a “Machiavellian” scheme decided to thwart Niger’s “march ahead”.

Ecowas nations closed all land and air borders between them and Niger the earlier Sunday and imposed a no-fly zone on all business flights to and from the landlocked nation of 25mn folks.

The choice to shut Niger’s airspace complicates flight paths for airways flying between Europe and southern Africa, which have already been skirting round Libya and Sudan due to the battle in these nations. 

“The closure of Niger’s airspace dramatically widens the realm over which most business flights between Europe and southern Africa can not fly,” Flightradar24 mentioned. 

Common Tchiani has appointed governors in Niger’s eight provinces and is hoping to type a cupboard this week after dissolving all establishments beneath Bazoum. Many outstanding politicians affiliated with the earlier authorities have since been arrested.

Ecowas defence chiefs concluded plans for doable army intervention on Friday in Abuja, the Nigerian capital. Abdel-Fatau Musah, Ecowas commissioner for political affairs, peace and safety, mentioned the bloc was nonetheless targeted on making “diplomacy work”, however warned it was ready to make use of power if talks didn’t bear fruit.

“We’re decided to cease it, however Ecowas will not be going to inform the coup plotters when and the place we’re going to strike,” Musah mentioned. “That’s an operational resolution that can be taken by the heads of state.”

Former colonial energy France mentioned over the weekend it backed Ecowas’ efforts to finish the coup however didn’t specify if that included supporting using power. Mali and Burkina Faso, that are each led by army governments, have mentioned any intervention in Niger can be a “declaration of battle” on their nations too.