Military option in Niger 'last resort': Africa leaders

The defense chiefs of West Africa's regional bloc met in Nigeria's capital Abuja to deliberate on the political situation in Niger.

The meeting, to conclude on Friday, was held as the regional bloc Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, sent a delegation to Niger on Wednesday to negotiate with the military officers who seized power in last week's coup.

While speaking at the start of the three-day meeting of the military chiefs in Abuja on Wednesday, Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, said: " (The) military option is the very last option on the table, the last resort, but we have to prepare for the eventuality."

Musah said the ECOWAS delegation dispatched to Niger is being led by former Nigerian military leader Abdulsalami Abubakar, who arrived in Niamey, Niger's capital, on Wednesday to start talks with the military government.

On Monday, the West African countries announced the imposition of sanctions on Niger's new military leaders and threatened to use force if they fail to reinstate ousted president Mohamed Bazoum within a week. This came after Abdourahmane Tiani, the head of Niger's presidential guard, declared himself Niger's new leader following the coup.

In addition, local media reports indicate Nigeria cut electricity supplies to Niger on Tuesday to intensify pressure on the country's coup leaders. The sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on Niger prompted military rulers from Mali and Burkina Faso to say that any intervention in Niger would be considered a declaration of war against them, too.

On Wednesday, a section of the coup leaders led by General Salifou Modi met with Assimi Goita, Mali's interim president, in Mali's capital Bamako. On the same day, the coup leaders further announced they had reopened Niger's land and air borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Libya after closing them last week.

Evacuation ordered

The US State Department on Wednesday ordered a partial evacuation of the US embassy in the country.

In an update to the travel advisory on the embassy's website, the State Department said it "ordered the departure of nonemergency US government employees and eligible family members" from the embassy in Niamey.

Over 350 French citizens have been evacuated from Niger following the military coup in the country, France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday.

On Monday, the World Food Programme's UN Humanitarian Air Service organized special flights to Diffa, Tahoua and Agadez to transport staff from the United Nations and partners, following authorization previously obtained by the de facto authorities, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said.

Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.