Page 2 - Coup

Niger's ruler warns against meddling, asks citizens to defend nation

Niger's new military ruler lashed out at neighbouring countries and the international community in a nationally televised speech on Wednesday night and called on the population to be ready to defend the nation. In one of the few addresses to the West African country since seizing power from Niger's democratically-elected president a week ago, General Abdourahmane Tchiani warned against foreign meddling and military intervention against the coup. "We therefore call on the people of Niger as a whole and their unity to defeat all those who want to inflict unspeakable suffering on our hard-working populations and destabilise our country," Tchiani said. Tchiani, who commands Niger's presidential guard, also promised to create the conditions for a peaceful transition to elections following his ouster of President Mohamed Bazoum. His speech comes amid rising regional tensions as the West African regional bloc ECOWAS threatens to use military force if Bazoum is not released from house arre

Support for Niger at risk as military takeover threatens stability: Blinken

Political instability in Niger resulting from a military takeover that deposed the president this week threatens the economic support provided by Washington to the African nation, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Saturday. Members of the Niger military announced on Wednesday they had deposed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and on Friday named Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani as the country's new leader, adding Niger to a growing list of military regimes in West Africa's Sahel region. Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, said the continued security and economic arrangements that Niger has with the U.S. hinged on the release of Bazoum and the immediate restoration of the democratic order in Niger. Our economic and security partnership with Niger which is significant, hundreds of millions of dollars depends on the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order that has been disrupted by the actions in the last few days, Blinke

Niger adds to growing list of countries in the Sahel run by the military

Mutinous soldiers in Niger this week overthrew the democratically elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum, adding to a growing list of military regimes in West Africa's Sahel region and raising fears of regional destabilization. The Sahel, the vast arid expanse south of the Sahara Desert, faces growing violence from Islamic extremists, which in turn has caused people to turn against elected governments. The military takeovers have followed a similar pattern: The coup leaders accuse the government of failing to meet the people's expectations for delivering dividends of democracy. They say they will usher in a new democratic government to address those shortcomings, but the process gets delayed. Karim Manuel, west and central Africa analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, says the military governments threaten to unwind democratic gains made not just in the Sahel region but in the broader West Africa region. This increases political instability going forward and makes the

Soldiers declare Niger general as head of state after he leads a coup

Mutinous soldiers who staged a coup in Niger declared their leader the new head of state on Friday, hours after the general asked for national and international support despite rising concerns that the political crisis could hinder the nation's fight against jihadists and boost Russia's influence in West Africa. Spokesman Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane said on state television that the constitution was suspended and Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani was in charge. Various factions of Niger's military have reportedly wrangled for control since members of the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected two years ago in Niger's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France. Niger is seen as the last reliable partner for the West in efforts to battle jihadists linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in Africa's Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence in the fight against extremism. France has 1,500 ...

President Bazoum's government has been removed, say Niger soldiers

Abdramane said Niger's borders are closed, a nationwide curfew declared, and all institutions of the republic are suspended

Niger army on standby to hit back after coup bid, says presidency

Bazoum has been detained by 'coup plotters' who are attempting to seize power by force, the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States said in a separate statement

Myanmar junta launches airstrike on own village: Over 100 feared dead

The anti-coup militias in Myanmar, known as the People's Defence Forces, or PDFs, are waging an armed rebellion against the military junta in various parts of the country

Officials predict more arrests likely over German alleged far-right plot

German officials say they expect more people to be detained in connection with an alleged far-right plan to topple the government that saw 25 people rounded up Wednesday, including a self-styled prince, a retired paratrooper and a judge. The plot was allegedly hatched by people linked to the so-called Reich Citizens movement, which rejects Germany's post-war constitution and the legitimacy of the government. Georg Meier, the top security official in Thuringia state, told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Thursday that he expects a second wave of people being detained as authorities review evidence. Meier accused the far-right Alternative for Germany party of fuelling conspiracy theories like those that allegedly motivated the plotters detained across the country this week. Those held include a former Alternative for Germany lawmaker, Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, who is also a Berlin judge. The party condemned the alleged coup plans. Also detained was Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, w

Germany busts plot to put ex-royal back in power, detains 25 people

Prosecutors said the group was inspired by the deep state conspiracy theories of Germany's Reichsbuerger and QAnon, whose advocates were among those arrested after the storming of the U.S. Capitol

German police conduct countrywide raids, arrests 25 to avert coup: Report

A German man, Heinrich XIII, is alleged to have been central to the plans

Protesters attack French Embassy in Burkina Faso's capital after coup

Angry protesters attacked the French Embassy in Burkina Faso's capital on Saturday after supporters of the West African nation's new coup leader accused France of harboring the ousted interim president, a charge French authorities vehemently denied. Lt. Col. Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba was overthrown late Friday only nine months after he'd mounted a coup himself in Burkina Faso, which has been failing to effectively counter rising violence by Islamic extremists. Comments by a new junta spokesman earlier Saturday set into motion an outburst of anger in Ouagadougou, the capital. Video on social media showed residents with lit torches outside the perimeter of the French embassy. Damiba's whereabouts remained unknown but France's Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded statement: We formally deny involvement in the events unfolding in Burkina Faso. The camp where the French forces are based has never hosted Paul Henri Sandaogo Damiba nor has our embassy. Capt. Ibrahim Traore, who was

Over 1.2 mn people remain displaced in Myanmar since Feb 2021: UN

More than 1.2 million people currently remain displaced across Myanmar, including over 866,000 displaced by the conflict and insecurity since the February 2021 coup, said a UN spokesman

US sanctions Sudanese police for using violent tactics against protesters

The US on Monday sanctioned a Sudanese police unit for using violent tactics against pro-democracy protesters following an October military coup.

Death, danger, despair: A year in Myanmar under the military rule

On February 1, 2021, a coup d'etat started in Myanmar

Sudan's anti-coup protests violently dispersed, two killed: Report

The demonstrations in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan are the latest in relentless protests

Security forces in Kazakhstan detain almost 10,000 over deadly unrest

The news comes as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who called the violence a coup attempt, is set to nominate a new prime minister in an address to parliament later in the day.

West African nations sever links with Mali over election delay

The fresh measures from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) represent a significant hardening of its stance towards Mali

Sudan's PM Abdalla Hamdok announces resignation amid political deadlock

Sudan's prime minister says he has resigned amid political deadlock following a military coup that derailed the country's fragile transition.

Former South Korean military dictator Chun Doo-hwan dies at 90

Chun had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer which was in remission, and his health had deteriorated recently, his former press secretary Min Chung-ki told reporters

Myanmar opposition calls for national uprising against army

The main underground group coordinating resistance to Myanmar's military government issued a sweeping call for a nationwide uprising on Tuesday, raising the prospect of spiraling unrest