Niger’s armed forces chief on Thursday declared his support for troops who announced they had seized power, despite a defiant stand by the country’s president, Mohamed Bazoum. In the latest turbulence to shake the coup-prone Sahel, Bazoum was confined on Wednesday by members of his presidential guard. Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum has been detained by elite troops, who declared they now hold power in the unstable west African nation. But the head of Niger’s armed forces on Thursday said he endorsed a declaration by the coup plotters. “The military command of the Nigerien armed forces… has decided to subscribe to the declaration by the defence and security forces… in order to avoid a deadly confrontation between the various forces,” said a statement signed by armed forces chief General Abdou Sidikou Issa.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 27, 2023 15:34 UTC