CNN —Niger’s junta claimed Sunday it had gathered evidence to prosecute the country’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum for “high treason,” upping the stakes in their brinkmanship against key neighbors in West Africa who have vowed to restore constitutional order in the coup-hit country. Niger has been engulfed in political chaos since late last month, when Bazoum was ousted in a coup d’etat by the presidential guard. Increasing pressureWest African leaders have ramped up rhetoric against Niger’s coup leaders and ordered the “activation and deployment” of a regional standby force to restore constitutional order in the country. The source also said committee members would first meet among themselves via Zoom on Monday but did not make clear when they would meet with coup leaders. Guinea underwent its own military coup in 2021.

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Persons: CNN —, Mohamed Bazoum, ”, Bazoum, Ahmed Idris Wase, “, Moussa Salaou Barmou, Mamadi Doumbouya, ” Doumbouya, Abdourahamane Tchiani Organizations: CNN, CNN — Niger’s, Nigerien, National Council for, Economic, West African States, ECOWAS, Sunday, Nigerian, United Nations, African Union Locations: West Africa, Niger, Africa, France, Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niamey, Guinea’s, Conakry