Senegalese troops have entered The Gambia to ensure Adama Barrow assumes power as the country’s new president, a Senegalese army spokesman has said.
It comes shortly after Barrow took the presidential oath at The Gambia’s embassy in Senegal.
He has been recognised internationally. But strongman Yahya Jammeh has refused to quit and is backed by parliament.
West African leaders have threatened to remove Jammeh by force. The UN Security Council backed their efforts.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military says it will deploy troops to The Gambia as part of a West African coalition force to uphold the result of December’s presidential elections, Reuters reports.
In a statement, the Nigerian army said: “The Nigerian military will deploy its assets as part of [a] standby force to protect the people of the Gambia and maintain sub-regional peace and security.”
The Gambia’s longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh has refused to leave office, despite losing elections last month.
President-elect Adama Barrow took the oath of office in Senegal today, leaving Gambia with two men claiming to be president.
