On 26 July 2023, the president of Niger Mohamed Bazoum, an Arab by ethnicity, was deposed by the country’s presidential guard in a coup d’état. General Abdourahamane Tchiani then proclaimed himself the new leader of Niger. This was the fifth military coup since Niger gained independence from France in 1960. France, the USA and also a West African regional bloc ECOWAS condemned the move, and demanded the release and reinstatement of Bazoum.
A few days later, ECOWAS, led by Nigeria, issued an ultimatum: reinstate Bazoum by Sunday 6 August or face war (ref. 1). In response, Niger closed its airspace and borders. According to a spokesman for Niger, two unspecified neighbouring countries had begun to preposition forces near Niger’s border (ref. 1). To add to that, both France and the USA publicly signalled their support for the ultimatum of ECOWAS.
Then, Niger’s coup leaders revoked all previously signed military accords with France. France, for its part, refuses to accept the cancelling of these agreements because it regards Bazoum as the legitimate ruler of Niger (ref. 2).
France has approximate 1500 military personnel in Niger (ref. 2). Separately, the USA has approximately 1100 military personnel in Niger and a drone base, the USA’s largest in all of Africa (ref. 3). For now, both France and the USA are staying put, though both have cut aid money to Niger. US law requires aid to be cut in the event of a military coup.
Besides threatening military intervention, ECOWAS has imposed sanctions. Nigeria, for instance, cut off its supply of electricity to Niger.
The standoff has also stopped Nigeria’s planned gas pipeline that would have linked Nigeria’s gas fields to Europe via Niger, Algeria and Morocco (ref. 4).
Burkina Faso and Mali, two other nations that recently carried out coups of their own, announced that they would side with Niger if ECOWAS were to invade: any intervention in Niger would constitute “a declaration of war” against Burkina Faso and Mali as well (ref. 5).
More importantly, Algeria, a substantial military power in the region, has called for a peaceful resolution to the situation in Niger. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune of Algeria has even said that military intervention would be “a direct threat” to Algeria, and is “absolutely rejected” (ref. 6).
That weekend, as war loomed, the people in Niamey flocked to a 30000-seat stadium to show support to the coup leaders. The crowd booed France and draped themselves in Russia’s flag (ref. 2). Notice in his speech to the crowd at the stadium, one of the coup leaders criticised “those lurking in the shadows” who are “plotting subversion” against “the forward march of Niger” (ref. 2).
When the deadline of the ultimatum passed, the invasion did not happen. It turned out, at least for now, Niger has successfully called the bluff of Nigeria and the west.
So, all of that was where things were a few days ago.
Today, in a dramatic turn of events, Niger accused France of unilaterally setting free “terrorists” and “jihadists” for the purpose of destabilising Niger (ref. 7, 8). These terrorists must mean elements of Al Qaeda and ISIS captured during previous joint operations involving France and Niger. Apparently, a guard post in Niger was recently attacked by jihadists.
Niger further accuses of France of violating its airspace, which France admits. A French military aircraft flew from Chad and into Niger, and cut off communications with Niger’s air traffic control when it did. However, France denies releasing any jihadists.
The apparent release of jihadists which led to a guard post suddenly coming under attack confirms the remark of one of the coup leaders that there are “shadowy figures” in Niger working to “subvert” the new authorities.
Now, in my opinion, the release of jihadists for the sake of destabilising the country is precisely the sort of thing that America’s CIA would do. Remember, America has a substantial military base in Niger and has also been carrying out operations in the war against terror.
Maybe France did do this. Or maybe America was the one that did it and then made it look as if France did it.
The Bible explains that Mystery Babylon, the spiritual harlot and superpower that reigns over the world in these last days, sits on the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns.
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.
Revelation 17:3-5
To sit upon the beast is to steer the beast.
Yes, the beast will eventually turn against the woman, at least for a while, because God will make it do so (ref. Revelation 17:16-17), but at first and certainly by the time of Armageddon, these two are on the same side!
To give you another example, in Afghanistan, despite America’s so called war on terror, Hamid Karzai when he was president accused the USA of creating ISIS in his country (ref. 9). “I do not differentiate at all between Daesh and America”, he said. It might sound like an odd thing to say, but it is in line with Revelation 17:3-5.
More recently, the Taliban have revealed documents showing that America trained ISIS jihadists in Afghanistan (ref. 10). The Taliban say, “Daesh is an American phenomenon”, because America does not want Afghanistan to be “calm”.
There is no disputing the fact that America toppled Saddam Hussein and the secular government of Iraq, to destabilised Iraq so that Al Qaeda in Iraq could become ISIS (ref. Nahum 1:11). Then, there was also Syria (ref. Isaiah 17), and the war against Bashar al-Assad. Jihadists over there were given funds and weapons for the purpose of overthrowing Assad and supposedly Russia’s position in Syria. Not to mention the end of Muammar Gaddafi. Ever since the USA and NATO bombed Libya, Libya has fallen to Islamists, something the Bible foretells would happen in these last days (ref. Daniel 11:43).
At every step, it has been the USA that has been enabling the beast to rise.
And so, when the time comes for the fourth seal to be opened, the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns will indeed rise to devour the world and break it in pieces.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Daniel 7:23
Even the healing of the deadly wound of one of the heads of the beast, that is to say the return of ISIS as a military force, will come down to the machinations of the Devil’s men in Babylon.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Revelation 13:3
But ultimately, the fourth beast will only last for a time, and times, and half a time. After that, the beast will be slain, and Babylon too.
References:
1. Aljazeera (7 August 2023), “Niger closes airspace as ECOWAS deadline for coup reversal expires”, aljazeera.com
2. Aljazeera (4 August 2023), “France: Deals revoked by Niger military were signed with legitimate gov’t”, aljazeera.com
3. Alison Bath (9 August 2023) “1100 US troops in Niger to remain for the time being, Pentagon says”, stripes.com
4. Ben Aris (2 August 2023), “Niger coup threatens Nigeria-Morocco 30bcm gas pipeline project”, intellinews.com
5. France24 (1 August 2023), “Burkina Faso, Mali say military intervention in Niger would be declaration of war”, france24.com
6. MEE Staff (6 August 2023), “Niger coup: Military intervention direct threat to Algeria says president “, middleeasteye.net
7.”Niger’s military rulers accuse France of unilaterally releasing terrorists”, youtube.com/watch?v=Gur8isr2YvY
8. “Niger coup: Junta accuses France of freeing terrorists, violating its airspace, Paris denies it”, youtube.com/watch?v=mUYB9B0qN_w
9. Noor Zahid and Rahim Gul Sarwan (19 April 2017), “Former Afghan President Karzai Calls Islamic State Tool of US”, voa.com
10. OpIndia (22 July 2023), “ISIS is an American phenomenon, have documents to show that the USA trained them: Taliban”, opindia.com