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Gambia crisis: Jammeh given last chance to resign as troops close in | Gambia crisis: Jammeh given last chance to resign as troops close in |
(35 minutes later) | |
West African leaders are in The Gambia to try to persuade Yahya Jammeh to cede power to his elected successor. | |
Mr Jammeh was given until noon to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed regional forces, but the deadline was extended to allow last-ditch talks. | |
Troops have been told to halt their advance until the talks are over. | |
The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is acting in support of new President Adama Barrow, who was sworn in on Thursday. | |
His legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he was voted in last month. | |
Guinea's President Alpha Conde and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz have arrived in Banjul for the talks with Mr Jammeh. | |
The chairman of the Ecowas commission, Marcel Alain de Souza, said that if the meeting with Mr Conde proved unsuccessful, military action would follow. | |
The end is near: By Thomas Fessy, BBC News, Banjul | The end is near: By Thomas Fessy, BBC News, Banjul |
Banjul remains quiet this morning, everything still closed. There is a feeling that the end of the political crisis is close but everybody is anxiously waiting to hear what Yahya Jammeh will tell the Guinean and Mauritanian leaders. | |
The head of the Ecowas commission, Marcel de Souza, suggested Mr Jammeh could be flown to Guinea before deciding on his fate. Interestingly, Mauritania is not a member state of Ecowas and the Guinean president, Alpha Conde, has repeatedly voiced his opposition to any regional military action, arguing that diplomacy should prevail instead. | The head of the Ecowas commission, Marcel de Souza, suggested Mr Jammeh could be flown to Guinea before deciding on his fate. Interestingly, Mauritania is not a member state of Ecowas and the Guinean president, Alpha Conde, has repeatedly voiced his opposition to any regional military action, arguing that diplomacy should prevail instead. |
Ecowas said that its forces had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia on Thursday. | Ecowas said that its forces had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia on Thursday. |
Troops from Senegal and other West African countries crossed into The Gambia after an initial deadline for Mr Jammeh to stand down passed without his resignation. | Troops from Senegal and other West African countries crossed into The Gambia after an initial deadline for Mr Jammeh to stand down passed without his resignation. |
Read more | |
Mr Barrow, who remains in Senegal, has said that he will not return to Gambia's capital, Banjul, until the military operation has ended. | Mr Barrow, who remains in Senegal, has said that he will not return to Gambia's capital, Banjul, until the military operation has ended. |
The threat by the West African regional bloc Ecowas to remove Mr Jammeh by force is supported by the 15-member UN Security Council, although the council has stressed that a political solution should be the priority. | The threat by the West African regional bloc Ecowas to remove Mr Jammeh by force is supported by the 15-member UN Security Council, although the council has stressed that a political solution should be the priority. |
A Senegalese army spokesman, Col Abdou Ndiaye, told the BBC that troops who were now in The Gambia were prepared to fight if necessary. | A Senegalese army spokesman, Col Abdou Ndiaye, told the BBC that troops who were now in The Gambia were prepared to fight if necessary. |
"It is already war, if we find any resistance, we will fight it," he said, adding: "If there are people who are fighting for the former president, we will fight them." | "It is already war, if we find any resistance, we will fight it," he said, adding: "If there are people who are fighting for the former president, we will fight them." |
But Col Ndiaye said the main goal of Ecowas was to restore democracy and to allow the newly-elected president to take power. | But Col Ndiaye said the main goal of Ecowas was to restore democracy and to allow the newly-elected president to take power. |
In his inaugural speech at the Gambian embassy in Senegal's capital, Dakar, President Barrow ordered all members of The Gambia's armed forces to remain in their barracks. | In his inaugural speech at the Gambian embassy in Senegal's capital, Dakar, President Barrow ordered all members of The Gambia's armed forces to remain in their barracks. |
Any found illegally bearing arms would be considered "rebels", he said. | Any found illegally bearing arms would be considered "rebels", he said. |
Amid the crisis, the UN refugee agency reported that more than 45,000 people had fled The Gambia for Senegal so far this year. | Amid the crisis, the UN refugee agency reported that more than 45,000 people had fled The Gambia for Senegal so far this year. |
More people could leave if the situation was not resolved, the UNHCR said. | More people could leave if the situation was not resolved, the UNHCR said. |
Why is Mr Jammeh refusing to go? | Why is Mr Jammeh refusing to go? |
After first accepting defeat in the election he reversed his position and said he would not step down. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, blaming irregularities in the electoral process. | After first accepting defeat in the election he reversed his position and said he would not step down. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, blaming irregularities in the electoral process. |
The electoral commission accepted that some of its early results had contained errors but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow's win. | The electoral commission accepted that some of its early results had contained errors but said they would not have affected Mr Barrow's win. |
Mr Jammeh has said he will stay in office until new elections are held. | Mr Jammeh has said he will stay in office until new elections are held. |
Remaining in power would also give him protection against prosecution for alleged abuses committed during his rule. | Remaining in power would also give him protection against prosecution for alleged abuses committed during his rule. |