African leaders set for emergency meeting after Niger coup – BBC News

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 02:19:41 +0000

Leaders from West Africa are set to meet at an emergency summit, after Niger’s army took power in a coup.

It comes after the EU suspended all security cooperation with the nation, and the US declared its "unflagging support" for ousted president Mohamed Bazoum - seen as a key Western ally in the fight against Islamist militants.

On Friday the head of the presidential guards unit Gen Abdourahmane Tchiani declared himself Niger's new leader, and there are concerns about which countries he will align with. The leader of Russia's Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin has reportedly described the coup as a triumph.

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