The military coup in Niger

 

Antony Blinken Mary Altaffer / AP  

 

Blinken: The Wagner group takes advantage of the situation in Niger 

 

The Russian Wagner group is trying to take advantage of the instability in Niger, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.  

 

The West African country is ruled by a military junta following a coup that forced President Mohamed Bazoum from power nearly two weeks ago. There have been reports that the coup plotters asked the Russian paramilitary group for help. 

 

- I don't think that what happened and is happening in Niger was instigated by Russia or by Wagner, but they have tried to take advantage of it, says Blinken to the BBC, and continues: 

 

- For every single place that this Wagner group has gone to, death, destruction and exploitation have followed.  

 

 

Supporters of the military junta in the capital Niamey on Sunday. Sam Mednick / AP   

 

Military action can be hammered out this week - but experts have their doubts  

 

The EU and West African countries still hope there is room for mediation in Niger before the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) meets on Thursday. At the meeting, a decision can be made on a military intervention, writes Reuters.  

 

Ecowas has previously threatened to intervene militarily if the coup plotters do not give up. Even so, the intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft deems it unlikely. Violence would further destabilize one of the world's poorest regions, says the company's Africa analyst Ben Hunter.  

 

- They understand that a military intervention would be very costly, with no guarantee of success in the long term, and with a significant risk of escalation into a regional war.