Thousands of Niger coup supporters took to the streets on Friday to protest against plans by West African nations to deploy a military force to the country, as a key regional meeting on a possible intervention was scrapped. The last-minute cancellation came as thousands of coup supporters rallied near a French military base in Niger on Friday. Niger’s new leaders have accused former colonial power France, a close Bazoum ally, of being behind the hardline ECOWAS stance against the coup. The coup leaders had threatened to assault him in the event of military intervention, the source added. The coup leaders have since named a new government, which met for the first time on Friday.

Source: Punch August 12, 2023 16:48 UTC