Uagadugú, August 2 (RHC)--The governments of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali have warned other West African nations not to intervene in Niger following last week’s coup that deposed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. 

A Burkina Faso government spokesperson made the announcement in Uagadugú, the capital, after the ECOWAS bloc of West African nations imposed sanctions and threatened to restore Bazoum by force.

Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo said: “We warn that any military intervention against Niger is tantamount to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali.  We warn that any military intervention against Niger would entail a withdrawal of Burkina Faso and Mali from ECOWAS, as well as the adoption of self-defense measures in support of the armed forces and the people of Niger.”

Burkina Faso and Mali are led by military rulers following recent coups.  

On Monday, Germany suspended aid to Niger, after the European Union and France cut humanitarian and military aid last week. 

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has stopped short of calling President Mohamed Bazoum’s ouster by his own presidential guard a “coup.”  Such a declaration would trigger an end to U.S. military aid to Niger, where in 2019 the U.S. opened a massive new drone base.  The U.S. also has about a thousand military personnel in Niger.  They are saying they’re now being confined to the U.S. military base.