Meanwhile, Mali and Burkina Faso have sent delegations to Niger to reaffirm support for Niger’s new rulers. All three nations are former French colonies, where anti-colonial sentiment has soared in recent years. This is a spokesperson from the government in Mali.

Abdoulaye Maïga: “I would like to remind you that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have been dealing for over 10 years with the negative socioeconomic, security, political and humanitarian consequences of NATO’s hazardous adventure in Libya. Of course, we ask ourselves: If it took us 10 years, how many years would it take us to get over another adventure of the same nature in Niger? We don’t know. Twenty years? Thirty years? Forty years? Fifty years? One thing is certain: President Goïta and President Traoré have clearly said, 'No, no and no. We will not accept military intervention in Niger. They are coming for our survival.'”