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Gambia's Jammeh 'to quit and leave', says Adama Barrow The Gambia's Yahya Jammeh 'to quit and leave'
(about 1 hour later)
The Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh will step down and leave the country, his elected successor says. The Gambia's leader Yahya Jammeh is to step down and leave the country, officials involved in negotiations say.
Adama Barrow made the announcement on Twitter, after hours of talks aimed at persuading Mr Jammeh to recognise the result of the presidential election. West African mediators spent several hours with Mr Jammeh on Friday, negotiating his future.
West African nations have deployed troops in The Gambia threatening to drive him out of office by force. The motorcade carrying the presidents of Guinea and Mauritania has left the official residence, but they are not thought to have left the country.
Mr Jammeh was defeated in December's election and his successor Adama Barrow has been inaugurated.
A tweet from an account believed to belong to the new president, saying that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down and go into exile, has since been deleted.
But Mai Fatty, a senior aide to the new president, told the BBC's Umaru Fofana that Mr Jammeh had agreed to step down.
News agency AFP reported that Mr Jammeh had agreed in principle to go but that the terms of his departure were still being finalised.
Mr Barrow told Gambians who had fled the country that they now had "the liberty to return home".
"The rule of fear has been vanished from The Gambia for good," he said in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Mr Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days. He was sworn in at the Gambian embassy there on Thursday.Mr Barrow has been in neighbouring Senegal for days. He was sworn in at the Gambian embassy there on Thursday.
His legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month's elections. West African nations, including Senegal, have deployed troops in The Gambia - threatening to drive Mr Jammeh out of office by force.
Mr Barrow's legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month's elections.
Mr Jammeh was given an ultimatum to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed troops, which expired at 16:00 GMT on Friday.Mr Jammeh was given an ultimatum to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed troops, which expired at 16:00 GMT on Friday.
The deadline was set by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional grouping backed by the United Nations.The deadline was set by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), a regional grouping backed by the United Nations.
The presidents of Guinea and Mauritania were locked in talks with Mr Jammeh for hours on Friday negotiating his future.
The motorcade for the delegation of West African leaders was later seen leaving The Gambia's presidential residence, according to Reuters news agency.
It was not immediately clear if Mr Jammeh was inside one of the dozens of vehicles.
Striking a deal: BBC World Service Africa editor Richard HamiltonStriking a deal: BBC World Service Africa editor Richard Hamilton
The man who once said he would rule The Gambia for a billion years is finally leaving.The man who once said he would rule The Gambia for a billion years is finally leaving.
He is thought to have been offered an amnesty deal, so that he will not face charges of human rights abuses.He is thought to have been offered an amnesty deal, so that he will not face charges of human rights abuses.
He had wanted to stay in The Gambia but this was not negotiable.He had wanted to stay in The Gambia but this was not negotiable.
There have been suggestions he may now go to Guinea, although he has been offered asylum in Nigeria and it is thought Morocco has done the same.There have been suggestions he may now go to Guinea, although he has been offered asylum in Nigeria and it is thought Morocco has done the same.
Mr Jammeh's term expired at midnight on Wednesday - but, while still president, he engineered a parliamentary vote to extend his presidency. As Mr Barrow has already been sworn in, the country could be said to have two presidents at the same time.Mr Jammeh's term expired at midnight on Wednesday - but, while still president, he engineered a parliamentary vote to extend his presidency. As Mr Barrow has already been sworn in, the country could be said to have two presidents at the same time.
Ecowas said that its forces, from Senegal and other West African countries, had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia.Ecowas said that its forces, from Senegal and other West African countries, had encountered no resistance after entering The Gambia.
Why has Mr Jammeh been refusing to go?Why has Mr Jammeh been 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 had said he would stay in office until new elections were held.Mr Jammeh had said he would stay in office until new elections were held.