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West Africa threatens force on Niger coup leaders, French embassy attacked

31 July 2023 17:32 (UTC +04:00)

West African nations imposed sanctions and threatened force on Sunday if Niger's coup leaders fail to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Bazoum within a week, while supporters of the junta attacked the French embassy in Niamey, APA reports citing Reuters.

The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc's response to the Sahel region's seventh coup of recent years came as crowds in Niger's capital Niamey burned French flags and stoned the former colonial power's mission, drawing tear gas from police. Protesters attack French embassy in Niger as West African governments threaten coup leaders.

Images showed fires at the embassy walls and people being loaded into ambulances with bloodied legs.

At an emergency summit in Nigeria to discuss last week's coup, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States called for constitutional order to be restored, warning of reprisals if not.

"Such measures may include the use of force," their communique said, adding that defence officials would meet immediately to that effect.