Niger forms military alliance with 2 powerful countries amid ECOWAS threat

The Niger military junta has entered into an alliance with two neighbouring countries, Burkina Faso and Mali, who are also under military rule.

General Abdourahamane Tiani, the junta leader and the former chief of the brigade guard, overthrew his democratically elected boss, President Mohamed Bazoum, through a coup and detained him, DW Reported.

Foreign ministers of the three countries made the announcement at a joint press conference in Niamey, the capital of the Niger Republic, on Friday, August 25.

Tiani has agreed that armed forces from Burkina Faso and Mali can intervene in his country's territory in case of attack. This was disclosed by the foreign ministries of the three countries at a press conference on Thursday, August 23,

The agreement allowed the two military-governed countries to provide military assistance to the Niger Republic in case of any military intervention against the coup leader, Tiani.

Mali and Burkina Faso have had a similar agreement in the past. Part of the agreement was that the three countries would take joint action against the terrorist group threatening their lands and secure their borders.

After Tiani ousted Bazoum in the July 26 coup, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) activated its standby force.

It threatened to use force if peaceful negotiation did not restore democratic rule and constitutional order in the country.