The military juntas of Burkina Faso and Mali have issued a warning that any attempt to forcefully restore President Mohamed Bazoum in Niger will be considered an act of war against them.
This response comes after a regional bloc threatened to take action if the president is not reinstated.
President Bazoum was ousted last week and is currently being held by Niger's coup leaders. France has announced its plans to evacuate its citizens from Niger, while Burkina Faso and Mali have cut ties with the West, particularly with France, and formed new alliances with Russia.
Their joint statement adds a new twist to the volatile regional situation and raises concerns over potential escalation.
The West African bloc Ecowas, represented by Chadian President Mahamat Idris Déby, is leading mediation efforts to resolve the crisis. Both Burkina Faso and Mali have been suspended from Ecowas due to recent coups. As Niger has been an important ally in the fight against jihadist extremism in the Sahel, this situation further complicates the security landscape in the region. Photo by Spc. Britany Slessman, Wikimedia commons.