President Biden on Thursday called for the immediate release of Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been under house arrest after a military coup last week, while the State Department began to evacuate nonessential personnel and their families from the U.S. Embassy in Niamey.
For Mr. Biden, it’s a somewhat familiar situation. The Niger evacuation comes after the rapid retreat of Americans from Afghanistan, Sudan and other nations. There was no indication Thursday that any Americans were in immediate danger, but pro-military demonstrations in Niamey highlighted a growing anti-Western sentiment.
Mr. Bazoum’s own personal military guard turned on him in the coup, which has divided countries in the region in the face of rising Islamist militancy and violence.
Ironically, Thursday marked the 63rd anniversary of Niger’s independence. Mr. Biden used the occasion to call for Mr. Bazoum’s immediate release by the military junta now apparently in control of the country.
“In this critical moment, the United States stands with the people of Niger to honor our decades-long partnership rooted in shared democratic values and support for civilian-led governance. The Nigerien people have the right to choose their leaders. They have expressed their will through free and fair elections — and that must be respected,” Mr. Biden said in a statement. “I call for President Bazoum and his family to be immediately released, and for the preservation of Niger’s hard-earned democracy.”
State Department officials said the evacuation is being conducted “out of an abundance of caution,” but they warned that any U.S. citizens who remain in the country will have limited options moving forward.
The situation on the ground appears to be getting more tense by the day. Hundreds of demonstrators reportedly rallied Thursday in Niamey in support of the military junta and against former colonial power France. Some even waved Russian flags in a sign of Moscow’s growing influence.
With other African nations having threatened to restore the Bazoum government by force, the U.S., France and other European nations have begun evacuation efforts in the event that conflict breaks out.
“The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas, including U.S. government personnel serving abroad. Given ongoing developments in Niger and out of an abundance of caution, the Department of State is ordering the temporary departure of nonemergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from the U.S. Embassy in Niamey,” the State Department said in a statement late Wednesday, adding the Embassy would remain open for “limited, emergency services” for those U.S. citizens who remain.
Complicating the equation for Mr. Biden is the fact that the Pentagon has more than 1,000 troops in Niger stationed at two key American drone bases. Despite the evacuation from Niamey, Defense Department officials said there are no plans to send more troops to the country.
“There are no changes to the U.S. military force posture in Niger during the Department of State-led ordered departure,” Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday morning in a statement. “The Department of State has not requested DoD personnel or equipment as part of the ordered departure. We continue to monitor this fluid and evolving situation and reiterate our focus on a diplomatic solution.”
Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, the leader of the coup, used a national address Wednesday to criticize those who have condemned the coup and rally support against foreign intervention. The general called harsh sanctions imposed last week by Niger’s West African neighbors illegal, unfair and unprecedented, according to The Associated Press.
Until recently, Niger had been one of the continent’s few bona fide democracies. In April 2021, the country marked its first peaceful transfer of power from former President Mahamadou Issoufou to Mr. Bazoum. That period of democracy was the first in Niger’s history, which had been marked by military rule and coups over the past several decades.
So far, the Biden administration has refused to officially label the situation in Niger a coup, with officials holding out hope that Mr. Bazoum will soon be restored to power.
Regional players appear willing to reinstate Mr. Bazoum’s government by force, raising the possibility that armed conflict might soon erupt.
The Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, last weekend demanded that the elected government be restored immediately and set a deadline of Sunday for reinstating Mr. Bazoum.
“In the event the authority’s demands are not met within one week, (the bloc will) take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force,” the group said.
But in a region where many other states are under military-dominated regimes, both Burkina Faso and Mali have signaled their support for the new military leadership in Niamey and have come out against outside intervention.
Complicating matters is the presence of Russian Wagner Group fighters inside the country. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary outfit, has praised the military coup and has even offered assistance from his fighters to restore order in the country.
Pro-military demonstrators reportedly shouted “long live Russia” and other pro-Moscow slogans on the streets of the Nigerien capital this week, underscoring the support that Russia seems to enjoy in the country. Demonstrators on Thursday expressed similar support for Russia, with at least one person proudly waving a Russian and Nigerien flag sewn together.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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