Niger Orders Military Units To Be Fully Alert

JAKARTA - Top officials of the Niger military government ordered military units to "maximum alert", a month after the government toppled the democratically elected president and while tensions were still high.

"The threat of aggression against national territory is increasingly being felt," according to a message on Friday (25/8) addressed to military general staff and confirmed by military sources to Anadolu, quoted by Antara.

Niger fell into turmoil since July 26 when General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the former commander of the presidential guard, led the military intervention that toppled President Mohamed Bazoum.

The Economic Society of West African Countries (ECOWAS) last week demanded the military restore the constitutional order in Niger "to concentrate on the security of the country. which has become increasingly 'fragitive' since the Bazoum was ousted.

The organization had previously ordered the activation of standby troops on August 10 to restore the constitutional order, although fears of military intervention eased after Niger's new authority received an ECOWAS dialogue mission last week.

In a heated press conference at the headquarters of the organization's headquarters in Abuja on Friday, ECOWAS Commission Chairman Omar Alieu Touray said the use of force was not considered to restore the constitutional order in Niger.

Through statements and debates in local media, several groups of political and civil society also warned France of the aggressive attitude it shows towards Niger.

Algerian people's radio said Tuesday (22/8) that the North African country rejected France's request to use Algerian airspace to carry out a military attack on Niger. This statement was denied by the French government.

On Friday, Niger gave an ultimatum to French ambassadors stationed in Niamey to leave the country within 48 hours.

The military government cited the actions of the French government that contradict Niger's interests as the underlying aspect of the pressure.