'Military intervention to unseat Gambia's Jammeh should be the last resort'

Senegalese President Macky Sall has stated that a military intervention to unseat Gambia’s outgoing President Yahya Jammeh will be a last resort.

He said during an interview broadcast on French state television on Friday that dialogue is a possible route to convince Jammeh to “listen to reason”.

“The use of force can only be an ultimate step when diplomacy has completely failed. I do not think it is reasonable for President Jammeh and his allies to engage in a showdown,” President Sall said.

He called for compromises to offer justice in the spirit of peace.

“There were certainly crimes. But if we engage in a showdown, it is clear that the consequences will be much more dramatic,” Sall advised and added that “If it is necessary to dialogue and find a way out for Jammeh to be protected, why not. I am for dialogue and allow him to leave quietly”.

“I hope that President Jammeh will hear reason,” he concluded.

A joint African Union and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mission made up of four presidents failed to convince Jammeh to surrender power.

ECOWAS is holding its summit in Abuja on Saturday and Gambia is on the agenda.