The military in Niger has announced that borders with Libya are opened once again, as well as the borders with five other countries bordering the West African state.
Colonel Amadou Abderrahmane, the spokesman of the junta currently governing Niger after the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum, confirmed in a statement that the borders with Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, and Chad had been reopened. This step includes, in addition to land borders, opening airspace as well, which had also been closed temporarily after the coup was carried out last week.
Niger is presently controlled by a military council after the events of July 26th which started with the Presidential Guard detaining the president and concluded with a full-out coup that was endorsed by the military as a whole.
Libya had announced, immediately after the outbreak of the crisis in Niger, its opposition to change by military means in Niger, affirming its support for the return to constitutional order and respect for the legitimacy represented by President Mohamed Bazoum. In a statement issued by the Libyan government, it called on all actors in the Republic of Niger to exercise restraint, and spare the country the consequences of security chaos and internal strife, encouraging all parties to respect the constitution and the law and adhere to the principles of peaceful transfer of power.
President Mohamed Bazoum, whose family has historical roots in Libya, had been elected in early 2021, making him Niger’s first President from the Diffa Arab minority. The coup against Bazoum is the fifth military coup in Niger’s history since its independence.
Source: Statement + Libya Alahrar
