Jammeh misses second deadline to step down

A deadline for defeated President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed forces at 16:00 GMT has expired with no news.

The earlier deadline of noon passed as the Guinean and Mauritanian presidents arrived in Banjul for last-ditch talks. There has been no statement from them.

Mr Jammeh’s elected successor, Adama Barrow, was sworn in as president at a ceremony in Senegal on Thursday.

Troops acting in support of President Barrow have paused their advance.

The forces from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) regional grouping are backed by the United Nations.

Mr Barrow’s legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he won last month’s elections.

Mr Jammeh remains at the state house in The Gambia’s capital, where soldiers are calm, the BBC’s  reports.

The head of the Gambian army, Gen Ousman Badjie, told Reuters that he now recognises Mr Barrow as commander-in-chief.

Source: BBC