DUBAI, August 7. /TASS/. Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, Prime Minister of Niger, where the military carried out a coup, denied information about the presence of fighters from the Wagner private military company in the country.
"I cannot confirm their presence, it is impossible," the prime minister told Saudi TV channel Asharq News while in Paris, commenting on the allegations circulated by certain outlets that Wagner forces may be in Niger or close to its borders on the territory of Mali. "There are no Wagner forces on the border between Mali and Niger, there are Islamist groups there," he added.
According to Mahamadou, in order to cross the border, "first you have to destroy these groups, which has not happened in four years." "Today they (Wagner fighters - TASS) cannot cross the border between Mali and Niger, and, accordingly, I cannot confirm this information. I believe that this is impossible," the exiled prime minister said.
On July 26, a mutinous group of Niger's military announced on television the removal of Mohamed Bazoum as president, the closure of the country's borders, the imposition of a curfew, the suspension of the Constitution, and a ban on the activity of political parties. The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland was formed to govern the country. General Abdurahmane Tchiani has led it since July 28.
Meanwhile, according to Nigerian politicians, the president is "in good health" and is on the phone with the leaders and government representatives of other countries, but he is not allowed to leave his residence.
At an emergency summit held on July 30, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demanded that the rebels who seized power in Niger immediately release and reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum and restore constitutional order in the country. The Community threatened to take action against the rebels and did not rule out the "use of force".