The African Union said Tuesday that it had suspended Niger’s membership in the wake of a military coup, but responded cautiously to a threatened military operation to restore its ousted president, as Nigerien TV said 12 soldiers were killed in a new attack by suspected jihadists.
National guards carrying out an anti-jihadist operation in the southwestern region of Tillaberi were ambushed on Sunday night, the broadcaster Tele Sahel said, adding that the troops inflicted “heavy losses” on the enemy
Niger’s armed forces, struggling with an eight-year jihadist insurgency, have lost at least 29 men since officers toppled elected president Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
The coup — justified by its leaders over Bazoum’s alleged failure to stem the insurgents — triggered a bustup with France, Niger’s staunchest ally, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ECOWAS has imposed trade sanctions on Niger and approved the deployment of a “standby force to restore constitutional order” in Niamey.
The bloc is hazy about the plan in detail but insists it will intervene if attempts at a diplomatic solution ultimately fail.
As the crisis neared the end of its fourth week, the AU said Tuesday that it was suspending Niger from its ranks but indicated reservations about the ECOWAS threat following strong differences among its members.
The AU said its Peace and Security Council had asked the body’s Commission to carry out “an assessment of the economic, social and security implications” of deploying the force.( Reuters)