MADRID, 8 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, has assured that although he does not believe that Russia or the Wagner Group have instigated the military coup in Niger, he does believe that they are “taking advantage” of the current situation of instability.
“I think that what happened, and what continues to happen in Niger, was not instigated by Russia or by Wagner, but they have tried to take advantage of it. Everywhere the Wagner Group is there is death, destruction and exploitation. The insecurity It has gone up, not down,” he said in statements to the BBC.
In this sense, he believes that the current situation in Niger is similar to that of other neighboring countries, such as Mali – which does have a Wagner presence – “where they have left nothing but bad things in their wake.”
After the coup d’état by the Nigerian military on July 26, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) threatened a possible military intervention if the deposed president Mohamed Bazoum was not reinstated in office within seven days.
Those threats were responded to by Mali and Burkina Faso –also led by their respective military juntas– who offered their military support to Niger in the event of ECOWAS intervention. At the same time, and as the deadline expired, suspicions grew that they would also have requested the help of the Wagner Group.
The military junta led by Abdourahamane Tchiani blames Bazoum for the economic crisis, in part for continuing to bow to the interests of a France that continues to benefit from the country’s natural resources, mainly lithium and uranium, as well as for not doing enough to combat Jihadist terrorism.
