All news

Nigerien rebels express readiness to establish civilian rule — media

The member of a delegation of Nigerian religious leaders stressed that the rebels were "open to dialogue without preconditions"

DUBAI, August 17. /TASS/. Nigerien rebels have expressed readiness to establish civilian rule in the country, Al Jazeera reported, citing a member of a delegation of Nigerian religious leaders that is currently on a mediation mission to Niger’s capital.

According to him, the rebels intend to make the transition to civilian rule "in the near future." In addition, the delegation member stressed that the rebels were "open to dialogue without preconditions."

The delegation of Nigerian religious leaders arrived in Niamey on August 12. Its members held closed-door talks with the rebels, which involved military leader Abdourahmane Tchiani and head of Niger’s transitional government Ali Lamine Zeine.

In late July, a group of military rebels in Niger announced the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, headed by General Abdourahmane Tchiani, was created to run the country. The leaders of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states introduced harsh sanctions against the rebels, demanding they release Bazoum and threatening to use military force.

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara announced upon his return from an ECOWAS summit in Abuja, Nigeria, on August 10 that the organization’s leaders had agreed to begin a military operation in Niger as soon as possible. Nigerien rebels ruled that the country’s army should be put on combat alert.