West African leaders are weighing their next steps on Saturday in a bid to reverse a military coup in Niger that has rocked the region but also sparked a wave of support in the country, Reuters reported, citing News.ro.

Niger’s army jailed President Mohamed Bazoum and seized power last month, drawing condemnation from international powers and raising the specter of a new conflict in West Africa’s impoverished Sahel region, which is already gripped by a deadly Islamist insurgency.

The ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) regional bloc decided on Thursday to activate a task force drawing in troops from across the region for possible military intervention to quell the seventh coup in West and Central Africa in three years.

At stake is not only the fate of Niger, the main producer of uranium and a key ally of the West in the fight against Islamists, but also the concerns of global powers that have key strategic interests in the semi-desert zone.

American, French, German and Italian troops are stationed in Niger to push back local affiliates of al-Qaeda and Islamic State, which have killed thousands of people and displaced millions in the Sahel.

Western powers fear that Russia’s influence could increase if Niger’s junta follows Mali’s example by abandoning the presence of Western troops and inviting mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group.

Read also:

• Niger: Russia opposes armed intervention that will lead to “serious destabilization”
• Wagner’s mercenaries in Niger train the fighters involved in the coup

“All options are on the table”

Thousands of people gathered in Niger’s capital on Friday to demonstrate in support of the coup. The rally began at the French military base in the capital Niamey, then protesters with placards and flags spread to nearby streets.

“Long live Russia,” is written on one of the protesters. “Out with France… Out with ECOWAS,” referring to the Economic Community of West African States.

The leaders of the regional army were to meet in the coming days.

It was not yet clear how long the mobilization of ECOWAS forces would last, how large they would be and whether they would actually invade.

The organization stressed that all options are being considered, and they hope for a peaceful solution.

Security analysts said the ECOWAS force could take weeks to deploy, possibly leaving room for negotiations.

Meanwhile, the African Union, the European Union, the United States and the United Nations have expressed growing concern about Bazum’s detention conditions.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Turk said on Friday that his situation was “rapidly deteriorating” and could amount to a violation of international human rights law.

Read on this topic:

• Niger: Military regime unfazed by dialogue proposals
• Niger closes its airspace due to the threat of interference from neighboring countries
• Analysis: four options for West African countries after ignoring the ultimatum of the Niger junta: from a ground invasion to a special forces operation
• The coup d’état in Niger and the “out of control” control over uranium
• Italy excludes the possibility of Western military intervention in Niger: “It would be perceived as a new colonization”