300+ trucks with humanitarian aid arrive in Niger from Burkina Faso
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Along with the authorities of Burkina Faso, the Nigerien military escorts 311 trucks with humanitarian aid from several countries in the region to Niger.
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Hundreds of Nigeriens gathered for a mass rally in the capital Niamey, on August 3, 2023 (AFP)
More than 300 trucks loaded with essential goods arrived in Niger from Burkina Faso, Nigerien news agency ANP reported on Sunday, citing a statement by the Nigerien military.
The Nigerien military, along with the authorities of Burkina Faso, conducted on Friday an operation to escort 311 trucks from several countries in the region to Niger, the news agency indicated.
Following the July 26 coup that ousted Western-backed President Mohamed Bazoum, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspended all financial aid to Niger, froze the assets of coup leaders, and imposed a ban on commercial flights to and from the country.
In early August, during a summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby force in an attempt to compel the Nigerien military to reinstate Bazoum.
A couple of days ago, ECOWAS announced that it had agreed on a 'D-Day' for the possible military attack against Niger, aimed at allegedly "restoring democracy" in Niger, according to the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah.
Musah, following the conclusion of the two-day meeting of West African ECOWAS army chiefs in Accra, Ghana, said, "We are ready to go anytime the order is given," adding that "the D-Day is also decided."
An ECOWAS official confirmed that out of the 15 ECOWAS member states, only Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, and tiny Cape Verde have refused to engage in any possible upcoming attack against Niger.
It is noteworthy that Burkina Faso's Defense Minister Kassoum Coulibaly told Sputnik on Saturday that the country is preparing for a possible military intervention in Niger and is readying to support Niger.
"We anticipate aggression [of ECOWAS forces against Niger]. In any case, the head of our state [Ibrahim Traore] said that we are ready for the aggression, we support Niger," Coulibaly expressed, adding that his country is even willing to withdraw from ECOWAS considering the association's policy towards Niger as unreasonable.
Coulibaly suggested that members of ECOWAS should refrain from waging wars against one another.
"Burkina Faso stands in solidarity with Mali and opposes any aggression against Niger because we share a common border. We are waging a war against terrorism and we must continue to wage it," he stressed.
