West African leaders scheduled a summit for Thursday to discuss the Niger junta’s rejection of an ultimatum to reinstate the ousted president, as the United States sent a top official to Niamey to push for a return to democracy. According to Reuters, the Economic Community of West African States had told leaders of the July 26 coup to stand down by Sunday or face a possible military intervention. But the junta, under self-declared head of state General Abdourahamane Tiani, former commander of Niger’s presidential guard, instead closed the airspace and pledged to defend the country.
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