The high civilian official of the junta that seized energy within the West African nation of Niger mentioned in an interview on Friday that coup leaders had no intention of harming the deposed president or collaborating with the Kremlin-backed Wagner paramilitary group.

The junta has been holding Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum, captive in his residence since July 26, denying him water and electrical energy, and threatening to kill him if a gaggle of West African nations had been to comply with by means of on a proposal to reverse the coup militarily.

In an interview with The New York Times, Ali Lamine Zeine, who was named prime minister by the junta earlier this month, mentioned of Mr. Bazoum, “Nothing will happen to him, because we don’t have a tradition of violence in Niger.” The pledge was at odds with the nation’s historical past — a president was assassinated by troopers in 1999.

Mr. Zeine, an economist skilled in France, was the nation’s finance minister within the 2000s, and an official with the African Development Bank till the army generals who took over Niger named him prime minister earlier this month.

The army takeover in Niger final month has threatened to further destabilize the Sahel, an unlimited semiarid area south of the Sahara that’s already the worldwide epicenter of terrorist exercise.

The United States and France have troops and army bases in Niger to assist struggle off teams affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State within the area.

Two factions are actually vying for energy in Niger: Mr. Bazoum’s authorities, with most of its cupboard members both arrested or scattered overseas however nonetheless backed by Niger’s fundamental worldwide companions; and Mr. Zeine’s new authorities, successfully ruling Niger however shunned by most nations.

It is unclear how a lot affect Mr. Zeine wields in a regime now dominated by generals. The two most senior members of his cupboard, the protection and the inside ministers, are each coup leaders.

“Among the generals who appear to be the tough guys, Zeine is the softer guy who can talk to the international community,” mentioned Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, a senior Sahel analyst on the International Crisis Group.

Mr. Zeine was a trusted technocrat, Mr. Ibrahim mentioned. But finally, “The power lies within the hands of the military,” he added.

The United States and the European Union have suspended their assist and army help to Niger.

Nigeria, Niger’s southern neighbor, has reduce off the electrical energy provide, and a bloc of West African nations has imposed monetary sanctions towards Niger. Mr. Zeine mentioned the sanctions had led to a scarcity of medication and hovering meals costs, and he urged the West African bloc to carry them.

Mr. Zeine mentioned “the moment will come to review” army partnerships with the United States, which has 1,100 troops in addition to drone bases in Niger. But he praised the “extremely reasonable position” of the Biden administration, which has referred to as for negotiations slightly than army motion to revive Niger’s democratic authorities.

Amid rising resentment towards the French army presence in Niger, the junta ordered 1,500 French troops to depart by early September, however the French authorities mentioned it thought of the directive void because it doesn’t acknowledge Niger’s junta.

Mr. Zeine accused French officers of condescension, however mentioned he needed France to remain. “We were trained in French universities, our officers were trained in France. We just want to be respected.”

Western officers have expressed fears that the junta might search to companion with Russia and the Wagner paramilitary group, which was executed in neighboring Mali, the place the army leaders have hosted 1,500 Wagner operatives to fend off an Islamist insurgency.

Mr. Zeine mentioned “I have seen no intention” on the a part of Niger’s army rulers to collaborate with Russia or the Wagner group. But, he added, “Don’t push Nigeriens to go toward partners that you don’t want to see here.”