Burkina Faso and Mali underline the prevention of a military attack on Niger

Military-ruled Burkina Faso and Mali have called on the United Nations to prevent a military invasion of Niger. On July 26, the Presidential Guard of Niger arrested the president of that country and removed him from office. Burkina Faso and Mali, where the military took over six months ago, issued a joint statement calling on the UN Security Council to once again warn of the dangerous consequences of any military action in Niger. Both countries also declared their commitment to finding any diplomatic solution to the crisis in Niger. Burkina Faso and Mali recently said in a joint statement that they regard any military intervention in Niger as a declaration of war on those countries.

Both countries said that military action in Niger would force them to withdraw from the ECOWAS group. In turn, the press secretary of the President of Nigeria said: "The President and the Economic Assembly of West African States (ECOWAS) prefer a diplomatic and peaceful solution in confronting the military coup in Niger." On the other hand, ECOWAS on Tuesday night imposed new sanctions on those who seized power in Niger and announced that the new sanctions apply to individuals and entities associated with the leaders of the coup d'état in Niger.