NIGER WAR WARNING

Mali fears a military intervention in Niger will leave a trail of destruction lasting decades.

It made the warning while sending a joint delegation with Burkina Faso to Niamey to show support for its neighbour.

ECOWAS has so far failed to follow through on its threat of military action against Niger if its ousted president is not re-instated.

President Bazoum was removed in a coup two weeks ago amid fierce anti-French sentiment in the former French colony.

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Niger's military government said it can't host Ecowas because of safety risk

Leaders of Niger's ruling military junta say they can't accept a high-level diplomatic visit because there'd be a risk to the visitors' security.

Delegates from the regional grouping Ecowas, the African Union and the United Nations had been due to fly on 8th of August.

But the coup leaders told Ecowas that sanctions and the threat of invasion from the bloc had created public anger, so the delegation couldn't be hosted with calm and in security. They added that Niger's land and air borders were closed.

Adding something else found today, Cynthia:

Sanctions against Niger are starting to work - EU Special Envoy Emanuela del Re.

“There is not enough medicine, food, electricity is missing - even more than before,” she noted.

The diplomat stressed that if the EU wants "the junta to weaken", then the sanctions must be continued.

🐻 This is what sick in the head sounds like..

Cynthia:  Adding this too...

French special services conducted a special operation in Niger to free the leaders of terrorist organizations

The authorities of Niger said that 16 leaders of terrorist groups detained in June were released by the French armed forces.

Earlier , ECOWAS declared no intention to conduct a military operation in Niger.

Today it also became known that the French Armed Forces attacked the National Guard of Niger and violated the airspace in order to suppress the rebellion.

and this...

Rebels in Niger say French military attacked the National Guard and violated the country's airspace, an order was given to raise the threat level.

France has rejected accusations by Niger rebels of violating airspace, Agence France-Presse reports. According to the agency, Paris also said that "not a single terrorist has been released by French forces."

and

U.S. troops now remain in Niger, but U.S. aid programs are on pause - said, John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the White House National Security Council.