- Title: U.S. supports West African military intervention in Gambia -State Dept
- Date: 19th January 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JANUARY 19, 2017) (STATE TV) STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY WALKING INTO BRIEFING REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY SAYING: "We do support it and we support it because, and we're in touch with officials in Senegal, we support it because we understand that the purpose is to stabilize a tense situation and to try to observe of the people of the Gambia. Obviously we are going to stay in close touch. This just, as you rightly pointed out Steve, this decision was just made so we're going to be watching this closely." REPORTER ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY SAYING: "I don't have a lot tactical information in terms of what is going on on ground. Obviously it's very, very tense. And you're right we, we have advised all U.S. citizens to shelter in place due to the risk of armed conflict, the risk of armed conflict. And we carefully, asked them to carefully evaluate the security situation before resuming normal activities. We also stated very clearly that U.S. citizens who are able to leave the Gambia are advised to do so. The embassy is temporarily closed to all non-emergency service as of noon yesterday. It remains closed today and it will be closed tomorrow." KIRBY FINISHING BRIEFING
- Embargoed: 2nd February 2017 20:23
- Keywords: Gambia elections State Department John Kirby
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZR19AF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The United States supports military action by Gambia's West African neighbors to ensure Gambian President Adama Barrow assumes power from Yahya Jammeh after its recent election, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday (January 19).
"We support it because we understand that the purpose is to stabilize a tense situation and to try to observe of the people of the Gambia. Obviously we are going to stay in close touch," State department spokesman John Kirby said.
It was important to stabilize a tense situation in Gambia, Kirby told a press briefing.
"We have advised all U.S. citizens to shelter in place due to the risk of armed conflict, the risk of armed conflict. And we carefully, asked them to carefully evaluate the security situation before resuming normal activities. We also stated very clearly that U.S. citizens who are able to leave the Gambia are advised to do so," Kirby added.
Senegal's military entered Gambia Thursday, an army spokesman said, as part of regional efforts to support its new President Adama Barrow and remove longtime ruler Yahya Jammeh, who has refused to step down after last month's election.
Barrow took the oath of office as Gambia's president on Thursday at its embassy in neighboring Senegal, calling for international support from West Africa's ECOWAS bloc, the African Union and the United Nations. - Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
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