Niger Junta Refused To Allow US Diplomat Victoria Nuland To Meet With Bazoum

Niger military leaders, who have recently overthrown the elected government of President Mohamed Bazoum, have denied U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland a meeting with the ousted leader.

"We asked before we arrived and throughout the day for an opportunity to meet with President Bazoum to get his perspective directly – we've talked to him on the phone, but we haven't seen him – and that was never granted," Nuland said at the U.S. state department's press briefing.

Nuland, who held hours of discussion with General Moussa Salaou Barmou and other military leaders, described her meeting as "difficult" adding that the generals "are quite firm in their view on how they want to proceed, and it does not comport with the constitution of Niger."