Niger coup leaders recall envoy from Abidjan over Ivory Coast remarks
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Niger's coup leaders express their total rejection of remarks made by Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara concerning a military attack against the country.
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A man waves the Nigerien flag in support of the coup at a concert at a Niamey sports stadium on August 13, 2023 (AFP)
Niger's coup leaders recalled their country's envoy in Abidjan on Monday after remarks made by Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara that they said amounted to "praising armed action" against Niamey.
Referring to the green light given by Niger's West African neighbors for a possible military attack to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, the military rulers denounced Ouattara's "eagerness" to "see this illegal and senseless aggression against Niger come to pass."
On his return from a summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja on Thursday, Ouattara said the heads of state had agreed a military invasion should "start as soon as possible."
He indicated that Ivory Coast would contribute a battalion of between 850 and 1,100 troops, alongside Nigeria and Benin.
"The putschists can decide to leave tomorrow morning and there will be no military intervention, it all depends on them," Ouattara said.
"We are determined to reinstate President (Mohamed) Bazoum."
The statement from Niger's coup leaders said ECOWAS' "haste... attests to the manipulation orchestrated by certain outside powers," which it did not name.
"That is why the (leaders) and the government of Niger express their total rejection of the remarks made" by Ouattara "which go beyond the common position of the sub-regional organisation ECOWAS... and decide to recall the Niger ambassador to Abidjan for consultation," the statement read.
On Thursday, Western-backed ECOWAS leaders confirmed their preference for a diplomatic route to restore Bazoum but ordered the deployment of a "standby force", without giving details of any possible West African military attack.
Read more: US agrees that ECOWAS attack on Niger should be 'last resort'
