Niger coup leaders face international pressure while hundreds rally in support of junta

International pressure mounted Thursday against leers of coup in Niger as American secretary of state said United States “stands very much” in support of West African leers who have threatened to use force to restore nation's democracy, and Senegal offered troops to help.

As hundreds of anti-French protesters rallied in Nigerien capital in support of ruling junta, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken offered general support for regional bloc kwn as ECOWAS, though he did t specifically refer to its threat of military action. Blinken told reporters in New York that U.S. believes bloc's efforts to reinstate toppled President Mohamed Bazoum are “important, strong and have our support.”

Senegal's foreign affairs minister said her country would participate in a military intervention if ECOWAS decides to act. “Senegalese soldiers have to go … se coups d’état must be stopped," Aissata Tall Sall said.

Meanwhile, Niger's military leers sought to exploit anti-Western sentiment to shore up ir takeover. junta suspended brocaster RFI and France 24 television from brocasting in country, according to French foreign affairs ministry. suspensions were part of junta's “authoritarian repression,” ministry wrote on X, social media platform formerly kwn as Twitter.

Last week's coup toppled Bazoum, whose ascendency was Niger’s first peaceful, democratic transfer of power since independence from France in 1960. coup stirred strident anti-French sentiment and raised questions about future of fight against extremism in Africa's Sahel region, where Russia and Western countries have vied for influence.

coup has been condemned by Western countries and ECOWAS bloc, which has threatened to forcibly remove junta if it does t hand back power to Bazoum. As tensions have grown in capital of Niamey and region, many European countries have moved to evacuate ir citizens.

At Thursday's protest organized by junta and civil society groups on Niger’s independence day, protesters pumped ir fists in air and chanted support for neighboring countries where militaries have also taken power in recent years. Some waved Russian flags, and one man brandished a Russian and Nigerien flag sewn toger.

“For more than 13 years, Nigerien people have suffered injustices," protester Moctar Abdou Issa said. junta "will get us out of this, God willing … y will free Nigerien people.”

“We’re sick of French,” he ded.

It remains unclear wher a majority of population supports coup, and in many parts of capital, people went about ir lives as rmal Thursday.

U.S. President Joe Biden used occasion of Niger’s independence day to call for Bazoum to be released and democracy restored.

“ Nigerien people have right to choose ir leers. y have expressed ir will through free and fair elections — and that must be respected,” he said in a statement.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said ministration was still focused on diplomacy.

“We still believe re’s time and for that. window is t going to be open forever,” Kirby said.

In an dress to nation on Wednesday, new military ruler, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, lashed out at those who have condemned coup and called on population to be rey to defend nation. He said harsh sanctions imposed last week by ECOWAS were illegal, unfair and inhuman.

ECOWAS has set a deline of Sunday for junta to reinstate Bazoum, who remains under house arrest.

In an opinion piece in Washington Post, Bazoum described himself as a host who was one among hundreds of citizens arbitrarily arrested. He said his nation's security situation was improving before coup but was w at risk because Niger would lose foreign aid and terrorist groups would take vant of its instability.

“In our hour of need, I call on U.S. government and entire international community to help us restore our constitutional order,” Bazoum wrote in piece posted online late Thursday.

After deline set by ECOWAS expires, bloc is expected to decide by consensus on next step as recommended by its defense chiefs.

At a bloc meeting in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, Brig. Gen. Tukur Ismaila Gusau, a Nigeria defense spokesman, said defense chiefs have been asked to come up with a military solution, which y hope will be " last option.”

bloc's sanctions include halting energy transactions with Niger, which gets up to 90% of its power from neighboring Nigeria, according to International Renewable Energy ncy.

France has 1,500 soldiers in Niger who conduct joint operations with its military against jihis linked to al-Qaida and Islamic State group. United States and or European countries have helped train Niger's troops.

Niger was seen as West’s last reliable partner in region, but some in country see Russia and its Wagner mercenary group, which operates in a handful of African countries, as a powerful alternative.

new junta has t said wher it intends to ally with Moscow or stick with Niger’s Western partners, but that question has become central to unfolding political crisis. Neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso — both ruled by juntas — have turned toward Moscow.

Ahe of Thursday's demonstration, French Embassy in Niamey asked Niger's government to ensure security of its premises after it was attacked by protesters and a door was set on fire.

president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, dispatched two delegations Thursday to deal with Niger’s crisis.

A group from ECOWAS heed by former Nigerian he of state Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar was on its way to Niger. A second group led by Ambassor Babagana Kingibe went to eng with leers of Libya and Algeria, said Ajuri Ngelale, special viser to president.