President’s midnight deadline arrives in Gambia

Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal — After more than two decades in power, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh faced the prospect of a military intervention by regional forces, as the man who once pledged to rule the West African nation for a billion years clung to power.

After a midnight deadline set by the West African regional bloc to step down, there was no word from Mr. Jammeh. But Mauritania’s leader appeared to be making a last-ditch diplomatic effort, meeting with Mr. Jammeh and then flying to Senegal to meet with its leader and Gambia President-elect Adama Barrow.

Earlier, a military commander with the regional bloc known as ECOWAS announced that troops were positioning along Gambia’s borders with Senegal.

“The mandate of the president is finished at midnight,” declared Seydou Maiga Moro, speaking on Senegalese radio station RFM. “All the troops are already in place,” he added, saying they were merely waiting to see whether Mr. Jammeh would give in to international pressure to cede power to Mr. Barrow.

As midnight approached, Mr. Jammeh met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on the crisis. The Mauritanian leader left Gambia shortly before midnight, telling Gambia state television that “I am now less pessimistic [Mr. Jammeh] will work on a peaceful solution that is in the best interest for everyone.”

Thousands of Gambians have fled the country, including some former cabinet ministers who resigned in recent days. Hundreds of foreign tourists evacuated on special charter flights, though some continued to relax poolside despite the political turmoil. Gambia is a popular beach destination in winter, es-pecially for tourists from Britain, the former colonial power.

The downtown area of the Gambian capital, Banjul, was empty late Wednesday, with all shops closed. But there was no visible military presence apart from a checkpoint at the entrance to the city.