(New York, N.Y.) — On July 26, soldiers detained President Mohamed Bazoum and seized power in Niger in a military coup. Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler shared his analysis of the coup incited by General Abdourahmane Tchiani with Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa). In the interview, Schindler criticized the recent military aggression and warned of the coup’s potential international consequences and proliferation of terrorist activities.
“A complete destabilization of Niger would tear another stone from the international community's containment wall against terrorism in the region,” Dr. Schindler told dpa. “If the situation in Niger is not resolved quickly and sustainably, it is very likely that terrorism will grow even faster. That could also have implications for security in Europe.”
The coup, sparked by Tchiani’s rumored removal from his role and the deteroriating security and power mismanagement of Bazoum, has prompted swift international reaction. The United States has paused some aid to Niger, the European Union and France has suspended all development aid and budget support. Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) isssued an ultimatum that ended on Sunday, calling on Niger to restore Bazoum’s power. After failing to comply with the conditions, coup leaders pledged to defend the country and closed the country’s airspace, further escalating tensions between Niger and its former allies.
Neighboring countries of Mali and Burkina Faso — which recently experienced coups of their own — support the junta, calling any move against Niger a “declaration of war” against them as well. The two countries have also sent a delegation to Niger to stand in solidarity with the coup.
More than 140 German language media outlets have reprinted Schindler’s analysis, reaching millions of the German readers of Die Welt, Die Zeit, Hadelsblatt, Stern, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Augsburger Allgemeine, Badische Neueste Nachrichten, Badische Zeitung, Freie Presse, Hamburger Abendblatt, Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, among many others.
CEP has also published several policy papers as part of a joint project with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), which focuses on terrorism challenges in West Africa.
To read the CEP-KAS paper Development of al-Qaeda in the Western Sahel Region, please click here.
To read the CEP-KAS paper Status of ISWAP and ISGS in West Africa and Sahel, please click here.
To read the CEP-KAS paper Linkages of Terrorist Groups in West Africa with Terrorist Networks in Other African Regions, please click here.
To read the CEP-KAS paper Interlinkage of Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime in West Africa, please click here.
To read CEP’s analysis of terrorist propaganda in West Africa and the Sahel, please click here. Weekly summaries are also available here.