Toppled Niger government encouraged French strikes to free captured president, junta claims
Niger’s military junta, which has overthrown the country’s elected leader, has claimed the ousted government authorised France to carry out strikes to free the president.
It comes after the presidential guard surrounded the palace in the capital, Niamey, and detained elected president Mohamed Bazoum last week.
Mr Bazoum was elected two years ago in Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France, and was largely seen as a Western, and regional, ally in West Africa.
In new comments, one of the leaders of the military coup, Colonel Amadou Abdramane, alleged the Niger foreign minister, acting as prime minister, signed the order allowing France to take action.
France, which ruled Niger as a colony until 1960, has 1,500 soldiers in the country, who had been conducting joint operations with its government, with protesters appearing to be against having foreign military forces in their country.
Mohamed Bazoum (R) pictured with Chad leader Mahamat Idriss Deby (L). Pic: Mahamat Idriss Deby/Facebook
The now-ruling military has warned foreign governments against trying to free Mr Bazoum, saying it would result in chaos and bloodshed.
France’s foreign ministry refused to confirm or deny that authorisation had been made, telling journalists the only authority it recognises is that of Mr Bazoum.
The comments from the junta come as the leader they ousted last week is pictured for the first time since being detained.
Appearing in a Facebook post from Chad leader Mahamat Idriss Deby, Mr Bazoum is seen smiling inside the presidential palace, where he is being detained.
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Head of coup becomes Niger’s leader
Writing alongside the pictures, Chad’s leader wrote: “I had in-depth discussions with the leaders… in a fraternal approach which aims to explore all avenues in order to find a peaceful solution to the crisis which is shaking this neighbouring country.”
Mr Deby also spoke to the junta-installed leader General Abdourahamane Tiani during his visit.
Protesters wave Russian flags on the streets of Niamey
On Sunday, anti-government protesters marched through the streets of the capital waving Russian flags and denouncing France.
Demonstrators in Niamey converged on the French embassy and set fire to its doors, stoned the building and burned the country’s flags.
Russian mercenary group Wagner is already operating in neighbouring Mali and its boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has hailed the coup as good news and offered his fighters’ services.
Coup could profoundly impact global fight against terror
The chaotic scenes outside the French embassy in Niger’s capital are certain to provoke deep concern in the West.
What was a fragile democracy now appears to be heading towards full blown military dictatorship – which could end up aligning itself with the Kremlin.
Any shift could also have a profound impact on the global fight against terror.
The US has bases inside the country and its forces are training the country’s soldiers.
For the Pentagon, Niger is a bulwark in its fight against Islamist radicals in the region.
The Sahel has overtaken the Middle East and South Asia as an area of growing militancy.
The latest military takeover in Niger means there is a belt of land from Africa’s east to west coasts under military control.
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and for its people these are uncertain and frightening times.
The real tragedy is that this will most likely cause further instability, even civil war, and hamper chances of development.
The Kremlin said the situation in Niger is “cause for serious concern”, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying that Russia called for all sides in the coup to show restraint.
The coup in Niger has been widely condemned by neighbours and international partners including the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and France.
They have all refused to recognise the new leaders and have demanded the elected president’s return.
Tear gas has been used to disperse anti-government protesters
Development aid suspended by France
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, receiving close to $2bn (£1.6bn) a year in official development assistance, according to the World Bank.
It is also a security partner of France and the US, which both use it as a base to fight an Islamist insurgency in West and Central Africa’s wider Sahel region.
Conflict experts say out of all the countries in the region, Niger has the most at stake if it turns away from the West, given the millions of dollars of military assistance the international community has poured in.
France has suspended all development aid and other financial aid for Niger.
The Elysee said in a statement: “Anyone who attacks French nationals, the military, diplomats, or French interests will spur an immediate and uncompromising response from France.”
In the UK, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement that Britain “condemns in the strongest possible terms attempts to undermine democracy, peace and stability in Niger”.
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former “thug” and “pit bull”, has been accused of lying about a phone call he says he made to the former US president about payments to ex porn star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen, a lawyer who worked for the Trump Organisation from 2006 to 2017, has been giving evidence in the case about hush money payments to Ms Daniels – in an attempt to cover up an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, called into question an important detail – a phone call made by Cohen to Trump’s assistant, Keith Schiller, on 24 October 2016.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Cohen, 57, has maintained that during that call he spoke to Trump (who was either given the phone by Mr Schiller or placed on loudspeaker – we don’t know which) and told him he had paid Ms Daniels $130,000 in hush money on his behalf.
But Mr Blanche called this into doubt – showing the jury a number of interactions suggesting Cohen was in contact with Mr Schiller about a different issue at the same time, namely that he was receiving harassing phone calls and texts from a 14-year-old child.
“That was a lie – you did not talk to President Trump on that night, you talked to Keith Schiller about what we just went through,” Mr Blanche said.
Cohen said that, based on his records, he believes he spoke to Trump about the Stormy Daniels matter.
“We are not asking for your belief,” Mr Blanche said. “This jury does not want to hear what you think happened.”
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Donald Trump in court on Thursday. Pic: Reuters
That exchange was part of several hours of questioning which apparently sought to paint a picture of Cohen as someone who is eager to see his former boss behind bars.
Mr Blanche played jurors audio clips of Cohen saying the case “fills me with delight” and that imagining Trump and his family in prison made him feel “giddy with hope and laughter”.
“Does the outcome of this trial affect you personally?” Mr Blanche asked.
“Yes,” Cohen replied. He is due to return to the witness stand on Monday.
Michael Cohen (right) was Donald Trump’s fixer. Pic: AP
Cohen worked as the former president’s fixer. He once described himself as Trump’s “spokesman, thug, pit bull and lawless lawyer”.
He once said he would take a bullet for his boss and admitted at the end of questioning on Tuesday that he “violated my moral compass” while working for Trump.
Hush money payouts are not illegal, but Trump is accused of falsifying business records to hide it – a claim he denies.
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