Burkina Faso and Mali have come together to say that if there is any military intervention in Niger, it will be considered a declaration of war against them.
Ecowas in a statement released on Sunday threatened to use force to bring back Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, who was elected by the people and removed from power in a coup last Wednesday.
Burkina Faso and Mali have declared that they would protect Niger in the event of a military intervention, and they have also stated that they would withdraw from Ecowas.
The warning from the two junta-led countries is a major development that could make the already volatile regional situation worse. They have cautioned that such an action would have catastrophic and destabilizing consequences.
Burkina Faso and Mali have broken off relations with the West and have instead formed alliances with Russia. They share a similar history with Niger, having been colonized by France and fighting extremist groups in the Sahel region.
