Niger’s military junta said it was open to talks following the July 26 coup and has proposed a three-year transition to civilian rule. Coup leader Abdourahmane Tchiani announced the plan after meeting with delegates from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which has threatened military intervention and imposed sanctions on Niger. On Sunday, thousands of coup supporters rallied in Niger’s capital Niamey.

Coup supporter: “We didn’t ask for this coup d’état, but it’s done. We’ll take responsibility for it. But instead of punishing us, ECOWAS needs to ask the right questions. What has led us to this situation? What led to this repeated coup d’état, not just in Niger but in West Africa in general? Instead of sitting down to negotiate, you put a gun on the table. You threaten us, and you think you’ll get something out of it.”