France, the former colonial power of Niger, and the West African regional bloc ECOWAS called for Mr Bazoum's immediate release and a return to constitutional order. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said constitutional order needed to be restored.
Niger Army spokesman Colonel Amadou Adramane speaks on television about the coup in Niamey, Niger on July 26, 2023. Photo: ORTN
US Vice President Kamala Harris said cooperation with Niger depended on the country's "continued commitment to democratic standards." African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Mahamat said he had spoken to President Bazoum and that he was fine.
Coup supporters ransacked and set fire to the ruling party headquarters in the capital Niamey on Thursday, after Niger's army command declared its support for the coup.
Similar crowds had gathered in front of Niger's parliament earlier. Some chanted anti-French slogans, reflecting the country's influence in the Sahel region. Niger gained independence from France in 1960.
The coup was initiated by Niger's presidential guard, drawn from the armed forces and usually protecting the president and his entourage, led by General Omar Tchiani. But he was not among the soldiers who announced the coup on television late Wednesday.
The coup in Niger is the seventh in West and Central Africa since 2020. It could have serious consequences for peace and efforts to counter the jihadist insurgency in the region, where Niger is a key Western ally.
As relations with Burkina Faso and the Malian government have deteriorated, Niger has become increasingly important to Western powers in their efforts to combat insurgency in the Sahel region. France moved troops to Niger from Mali last year.
Colonel Amadou Abdramane, who announced the coup on state television, said the defense and security forces had acted in response to deteriorating security and poor governance.
Insecurity has remained a problem since Mr Bazoum was elected in 2021. The unrest has killed thousands of Nigeriens and displaced more than 6 million across the Sahel region.
Huy Hoang (according to Reuters)
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