The leader of the mutineers who seized power in Niger, Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, said on Saturday that his country does not want war, but will be ready to defend itself if necessary.
"Neither the army nor the people of Niger want war, but we will resist any manifestation of it," Tchiani was quoted as saying by media.
He noted that the member countries of ECOWAS do not realize that Niger has become the key to containing the region from destabilization against the backdrop of increased terrorist activity.
Tchiani added that the sanctions imposed against his country were aimed at putting pressure on the rebels, and not at finding a solution to the current situation.
Moreover, the coup leader said that rebels do not seek to seize power in the country, but rather seek to come to a solution that would meet the interests of the people.
A coup took place in Niger on July 26. Bazoum was ousted and detained by his own guard, led by Tchiani. Following the coup, ECOWAS suspended all financial aid to Niger, froze rebels' assets and imposed a ban on commercial flights to and from the country.
In early August, during a summit in the Nigerian capital of Abuja, ECOWAS leaders agreed to activate a standby force to potentially compel the Nigerien military to reinstate Bazoum. On Friday, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs Abdel-Fatau Musah said that ECOWAS general staff chiefs had agreed on a date for the beginning of military intervention, but would not make it public.