Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh given until noon to step down as military operations are held back
Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh has been given until Friday midday to leave office or be forced out by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) forces backed by the United Nations.
“If by midday, he [Mr Jammeh] doesn’t agree to leave The Gambia under the banner of President Conde, we really will intervene militarily,” Chairman of the ECOWAS commission, Marcel Alain de Souza, said
The West African leaders are making one final move to peacefully resolve the political standoff in the West African nation of Gambia. Former President Yahya Jammeh has refused to relinquish power to the newly elected Adama Barrow, who was also sworn in as the new President of Gambia in Senegal on Thursday.
“We think that up until the last minute there is still a solution through dialogue,” said Marcel de Souza, head of the ECOWAS commission, explaining the decision to suspend the advance to reporters in Dakar late on Thursday.
A high powered delegation made up of the heads of states of Liberia, Mauritania and Guinea Conakry and some other heads from the ECOWAS block will jet in Banjul on Friday January 20th 2017 for talks with Jammeh on the ongoing political crisis, according to the Daily Observer
At least 7,000 troops from Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Mali had already entered Gambia from the southeast, southwest and north before they were ordered to stop until after the 12 noon ultimatum passes. ECOWAS forces have encountered no resistance from the Gambia’s military after entering The Gambia on Thursday.
https://twitter.com/adama_barrow/status/822128639915520000
