MOSCOW, August 11. /TASS/. A military solution to the Niger crisis may mean a long conflict in the country and a drastically destabilized Sahara Sahel region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out that Russia is closely following the developments in the Republic of the Niger.
"The Economic Community of West African States is taking steps to restore constitutional order in Niger through political and diplomatic dialogue with the new Nigerien authorities. Russia supports ECOWAS’ mediation efforts aimed at finding ways out of the current crisis," the statement said.
Furthermore, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, the ECOWAS’ emergency summit, held in Abuja on August 10, decided to start preparations for the deployment of the community’s reserve forces to possibly carry out an armed intervention in Niger so as to release its ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The Nigerien military pledged that it was ready to repel any foreign intervention. In addition, they announced the establishment of a transitional government that has brought together members of civil society.
"We believe that the military solution to the Niger crisis is likely to trigger a protracted confrontation in that African country and dramatically destabilize the situation in the Sahara Sahel region in general," the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed.
In late July, a group of officers from Niger’s Presidential Guard launched a coup and announced that President Mohamed Bazoum was deposed. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie, CNSP) was formed to govern the country and was headed by General Abdurahmane Tchiani, the Guard’s commander. Bazoum remains in custody at his residence.
Having come back from the summit meeting in Abuja on August 10, Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara said that the ECOWAS leaders had approved a military operation in Niger "as soon as possible." The Associated Press reported on the same day that Nigerien top brass had allegedly told Acting US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland that they would kill the country’s deposed president, Mohamed Bazoum, once the neighboring countries mounted a military intervention to reinstate him to power.