Niger Bars UN, NGOs From Military Operation Zones

Niger’s coup leaders have stopped the United Nations agencies, non-governmental organisations and international organisations from working in military “operation zones”.

This was made known by the Interior Ministry on Thursday, according to AFP.

President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted on July 26 in a military coup led by the former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani.

Leaders in the ECOWAS bloc said they would keep all options on the table for a peaceful resolution to the crisis and ordered the activation of an ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in Niger.

World leaders also condemned a coup attempt against Bazoum by members of the presidential guard.

However, without specifying which regions are affected, a ministry statement broadcast on national radio said: “Due to the current security situation and operational commitment of the Nigerien armed forces, the ministry informs international organisations, national and international NGOs and UN agencies present in Niger that all activities and or movements in the zones of operations are temporarily suspended.”

Meanwhile, the junta in a statement said it had resumed domestic flights and restored some state institutions, including the Constitutional Court. However, land and air borders remain shut, according to Reuters.

On Thursday, trucks, cars and motorbikes were stuck in long queues at Gabon’s border with southern Cameroon, a Reuters reporter said. At a crossing at Kye-Ossi some hung lines of laundry in between vehicles.