Niamey, 27 July 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Niger's military has officially backed the coup leaders' call to end President Mohamed Bazoum's term in office, in a move that triggered concern around the world on Thursday.

The army's statement, shared on Facebook and Twitter, clarifies the stance of the military on the events unfolding in Naimey.

"All foreign military intervention of whatever kind poses the risk of disasterous and uncontrollable consequences for our population and the chaos of our country," the statement said.

The president is not expected to survive politically following the military's stated support for the putschists, coming just hours after the initial claim of power.

"Our defence and security forces ... have decided to put an end to the regime that you know," Colonel Amadou Abdramane told national television late on Wednesday, flanked by nine men in uniform.

He said he was speaking on behalf of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), though at that point it was unclear whether Abdramane and the other soldiers on television were speaking for the entire army.

Abdramane said the army suspended all institutions and closed all borders in the West African country.

The military said it had locked down the presidential palace and detained Bazoum, the democratically elected president since 2021.

On Thursday, the Nigerien army said it wanted to "ensure the physical integrity of the president and his family" and prevent a "deadly confrontation between the various security forces," the statement said.

The army also warned foreign states not to attempt a military intervention, saying this could have devastating consequences for the country.

Unconfirmed reports suggested the head of the presidential guard, General Omar Tchiani, could take over the leadership of a military council.

Earlier, Bazoum called for the preservation of the country's democratic gains. "All Nigerians who love democracy and freedom will see to it," he tweeted.

On Thursday, Niger's Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou called on the country's soldiers to release the president and settle their demands through dialogue.

"We are the legal and legitimate authorities in Niger," Massoudou told French news channel France 24 on Thursday. He also said he had spoken to Bazoum and said the president was well.

Sharp criticism came in response from Washington, the European Union, the African Union and individual governments including Russia, Turkey and Germany. Berlin still has some 100 soldiers stationed in the country.

African Union President Azali Assoumani called for Bazoum to be released immediately and strongly condemned the events.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called for Bazoum's "immediate release" and "for the immediate respect for the rule of law and for public safety."

European Council President Charles Michel said he had spoken to Bazoum and assured him of the EU's support.

The EU condemned the destabilization attempt in the strongest possible terms, he said.

A German Foreign Ministry echoed this call. "We are following events in Niger with great concern. We condemn the attempt by parts of the military to overturn Niger’s constitutional, democratic order. We call on these individuals to immediately release Bazoum, the country’s democratically elected President, and to return to their quarters," a ministry statement said.

Ankara is also following the coup attempt in Niger with "deep concern" and stands with the "brotherly" African nation in its efforts to restore peace and constitutional order, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Moscow also called on the military to release Bazoum, renounce violence and resolve all disputes through peaceful and constructive dialogue.

"We hope for a quick resolution of this internal political crisis in the interest of restoring civil peace for the benefit of the people of Niger who are friendly to us," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

Niger's airspace has been closed, a move that also affected Germany's military, the Bundeswehr.

According to information obtained by dpa, there were no more flights to the Bundeswehr air base in Niger's capital Niamey.

The German army maintains an airlift base in Niamey for military engagement in West Africa. This location is key in the ongoing withdrawal of the Bundeswehr from neighbouring Mali where Germany is involved in the UN mission, known as MINUSMA.

Niger, with a population of about 26 million, is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Following military coups in Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger was the last of the three neighbouring countries in the Sahel region to be led by a democratically elected government, making it a key ally of the US and the EU in the fight against growing instability in the region.

It was only at the end of last year that the EU decided to send a military mission to Niger to fight terrorism in the region.

The developments in Naimey may affect other regional activities. In June, the UN Security Council initiated an end to the MINUSMA mission in Mali. The UN mission, which began in 2013, will end after a transition period of six months.

Mali's military junta, under Colonel Assimi Goïta, demanded the withdrawal of all 12,000 UN peacekeepers. The Mali junta said the UN mission had failed to keep the peace and that the peacekeepers must go.

But the coup in Niger could significantly affect the withdrawal of the Bundeswehr from Mali, according to Sahel expert Ulf Laessing.

"The withdrawal of the Bundeswehr from Mali will become much more difficult due to the new situation," the head of the Sahel programme of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) told the newspapers of the Funke Mediengruppe on Thursday.