Niger had been the only democratically elected country in West Africa's Sahel region after military takeovers of neighboring Mali, Burkina Faso and Chad since 2020.
Coup supporters gather outside the Parliament Building in Niamey, Niger. Photo: Reuters
But all four Sahel countries are now run by military leaders, after soldiers in Niger said on Wednesday night they had overthrown President Mohamed Bazoum.
Western countries have poured resources into Niger to strengthen its security forces in the face of an insurgency by Islamist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and IS.
The landlocked nation has become the West's "only hope" in the region against Islamist insurgents, as military rulers in Mali and Burkina Faso shun ties with the West, an analyst said.
The US says it has spent about $500 million since 2012 to help Niger improve its security. The US maintains a strong military presence in the country. It has also deployed armed drones to Niger.
Frustration over insecurity once fueled coups in Mali and Burkina Faso. But according to statistics from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), violence has worsened in those countries since military governments took control.
Despite trying to protect its population better than its neighbors, Niger still regularly suffers from militant attacks and rural banditry, according to ACLED.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 French troops are in the country, supported by drones and fighter jets. Their role is to support the Nigerien army in its fight against rebel groups.
In December, the European Union decided to set up a three-year military training mission in Niger, with contributions from Germany and Italy.
For leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc, the military uprising in Niger is a major blow to the bloc's efforts to consolidate democracy. The region has been dubbed the "coup belt".
Following coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and an attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau, ECOWAS leaders have declared that coups will no longer be tolerated in the region. Niger will therefore be a major test of this effort.
Quoc Thien (according to Reuters)
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