President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was being held prisoner by his own guards inside the presidential palace Wednesday, as military vehicles blocked access to his residence in an apparent coup attempt in the West African nation. The African Union called on the “treasonous” guardsmen to stand down, while West Africa’s main regional and economic bloc ECOWAS called on them to free Bazoum. Niger is an important ally for Western powers battling an Islamist extremist insurgency across the Sahel region. The U.S. has spent $500 million over the last decade to…
Read MoreCOUP IN NIGER: PRESIDENT MOHAMED BAZOUM DETAINED BY HIS GUARDS
