President of Niger pleads with U. S for support

By Robert Mutasi 

The ousted President of Niger has called on the United States and the "entire international community" to help "restore... constitutional order" after last week's coup.

In a commentary in the Washington Post, President Mohamed Bazoum said he was writing "as a hostage."

Unrest has erupted in the West African nation since he was removed from power.

On Thursday, the coup leaders announced that they were removing the country's ambassadors to France, the United States, Nigeria, and Togo.

In a statement read on state television, they said the four ambassadors' duties "have been terminated."

Just a few hours earlier, Niger's ambassador to the United States, Kiari Liman-Tinguiri, told AFP news agency that the soldiers "must think" and "realize that this cannot succeed."

Niger is a major producer of uranium - a fuel that is crucial for nuclear energy - and is on a primary migration route to North Africa and the Mediterranean.

Soldiers in the West African nation of Niger announced a coup on national television last month. 

They said they have dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions, and closed the nation's borders.