Niger's military junta has announced the closure of the country's airspace, in anticipation of the West African bloc's threat to carry out a military intervention in the country should ousted President Mohamed Bazoum not be released and reinstated. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had given the coup leaders until Sunday to reverse their military takeover and restore Bazoum's rule. The deadline has now passed, with the junta organizing large shows of support in the capital Niamey in the run-up to its expiration. The junta said it was closing Niger's airspace "for all aircraft until further notice" as of Sunday, citing "the threat of intervention" as its motive. It warned that any attempt to violate the country's airspace would be met with an "energetic and immediate response." The so-called National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, a council of generals who have taken power, said it had seen indications of a "pre-deployment in preparation for intervention" by two Central African countries it did not name. It warned that "any state involved will be considered co-belligerent."

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