Niger army backs military coup

Niger's army command yesterday declared its support for a coup instigated the previous day by soldiers of the presidential guard, saying its priority was to avoid destabilizing the country.

The army needed to "preserve the physical integrity" of the president and his family and avoid "a deadly confrontation... that could create a bloodbath and affect the security of the population [of 25 million people]," it said.

President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou earlier urged democratic forces in the country to resist the power grab, as western officials said the status of the coup attempt was unclear.

The soldiers said that Bazoum had been stripped of power and the republic's institutions been suspended.

They earlier cut off the presidential palace in the capital Niamey, with the president inside.

Bazoum, in a social media posting yesterday morning, vowed to protect "hard-won" democratic gains in a country that is a pivotal ally for Western powers helping fight an insurgency in the Sahel region. He also called on "democrats and patriots" to make the "attempted coup" fail.

The coup attempt in Niger brings yet more insecurity to the region at large.

Signaling Niger's importance in the region where the Russian private military group Wagner also operates, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the country in March to strengthen ties and announce US$150 million (HK$1.17 billion) in direct assistance, calling the country "a model of democracy."

Now a critical question is whether Niger will pivot and engage Wagner as a counterterrorism partner like its neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, which have kicked out French forces. France shifted more than 1,000 forces to Niger after pulling out of Mali last year.