Gambian army chief, General Ousman Badjie on Friday told Reuters that he recognised the newly elected Adama Barrow as the country's official president and new commander-in-chief.
General Badjie told the news wire that the army would not step in to fight against a regional force that was preparing itself to overthrow President Yahya Jammeh, who has vowed to hold onto the power, rejecting the recent electoral result.
"We are going to welcome them with flowers and make them a cup of tea," General Badjie was quoted by Reuters as saying. "This is a political problem. It's a misunderstanding. We are not going to fight Nigerian, Togolese or any military that comes."
West African troops arrived in the country on Thursday, however, diplomatic efforts were given a final chance with Mr Jammeh given until noon on Firday to leave the country peacefully.
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
