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Niger Junta to Prosecute Ousted President for Treason As Ecowas mulls military intervention again
The military junta in Niger announced on Monday that it plans to prosecute the ousted President, Mohamed Bazoum, for high treason and undermining national security. This is the latest sign that the junta is resisting international pressure to return power to Bazoum.
Bazoum has been held in the basement of his palace since the military staged a coup on July 26th. He has been visited by his doctor, who said that he is in “good spirits” despite being held in “difficult” conditions.
The junta’s statement did not provide any further details about the evidence it has gathered against Mr. Bazoum. However, it is likely that the charges stem from Mr. Bazoum’s alleged role in a coup plot against the previous military regime in 2010.
The announcement of the charges against Bazoum is a clear sign that the junta is not going to back down in the face of international pressure. The coup leaders have warned that they will defend themselves against any intervention by Ecowas, the West African regional bloc that has threatened military action to reverse the coup.
The bloc’s military chiefs met in Accra, Ghana on Friday for a second and final day of talks to discuss a possible military intervention in Niger. The coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 has been condemned by the United Nations, the West African bloc ECOWAS, and others. Regional powers have ordered a standby force to be assembled in case diplomacy fails to restore Bazoum to power.
During their two-day meeting, the defense chiefs discussed logistics and other aspects of a possible deployment. The use of force is a last resort, but ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Abdel-Fatau Musah said that “the valiant forces of West Africa are ready to answer to the call of duty” if necessary.
The talks in Accra come as the situation in Niger remains volatile. The coup leaders have yet to name a new government, and there have been reports of unrest in some parts of the country. ECOWAS has imposed sanctions on the coup leaders and has warned that they will face further consequences if they do not step down.
Ecowas has also imposed sanctions on the junta, including cutting electricity to Niger. This has caused blackouts in the capital, Niamey, and other major cities.
Airstrike in Ethiopia Kills 26, Fueling Fears of New War
At least 26 people were killed in a suspected air strike in Ethiopia’s Amhara region on Sunday, according to a hospital official. The strike hit the town square of Finote Selam, where members of the Fano ethnic militia were gathered. It is not clear who carried out the attack, but the government has denied responsibility.
The strike is the latest in a series of violent clashes between Fano and government forces in Amhara. The fighting has been fueled by Fano accusations that the federal government is trying to weaken Amhara’s defenses.
Ethiopia’s human rights commission has expressed “grave concern” over the “deadly hostilities.” The commission said that the strike in Finote Selam was “a clear violation of international humanitarian law.”
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government imposed a six-month state of emergency across Amhara on August 4. The state of emergency gives the government sweeping powers to arrest and detain people without charge.
Fano is a powerful militia that has been accused of human rights abuses, including the looting and destruction of property. The militia has refused to disarm, prompting the federal government to deploy the army.
The violence in Amhara is Ethiopia’s worst crisis since a civil war in the northern Tigray region ended in November. Fano backed federal forces during the Tigray war.
The fighting in Amhara has displaced thousands of people and caused a humanitarian crisis. The United Nations estimates that 1.5 million people in Amhara need food assistance.
The international community has called for an end to the violence in Amhara. The United States has urged all sides to “exercise restraint” and “find a peaceful solution.”
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