According to the ActuNiger news portal on Thursday, Niger's Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani has signed a decree to form a new transitional government 

The report revealed that the new interim government consists of 21 ministers, and per the list of new government members, a wide minority of them are in the military ranks.

Western-backed ECOWAS gave the coup leaders a one-week deadline - which ended last Sunday - to surrender to the bloc's terms or else face a military operation. The delayed action came amid reports of a number of internal hurdles within the countries of the West African bodies - most notably the Senate opposition in Nigeria.

The military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso have previously warned that any attack on Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them.

So far, military interference has not yet been ruled out, as the Western-backed ECOWAS announced on Tuesday that it has the capacity to deploy 25,000 troops in order to invade Niger and reinstate Bazoum.

Read more: One of 'US' favorite generals' leads Niger coup: WSJ

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called on Niger's coup leaders to release the country's deposed President Mohamad Bazoum and his family. 

"Spoke to Nigerien President Bazoum to express our continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the current constitutional crisis. The United States reiterates our call for the immediate release of him and his family," Blinken posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday.

Spoke to Nigerien President Bazoum to express our continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the current constitutional crisis. The United States reiterates our call for the immediate release of him and his family.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) August 9, 2023