Four more cabinet ministers in Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s government have defected, a source close to the regime told AFP on Tuesday, as citizens stream out of the country in fear of unrest.

With two days left of his mandate, Jammeh has caused a political crisis by refusing to step aside and allow president-elect Adama Barrow to take power following his December 1 election victory.

Foreign minister Neneh Macdouall-Gaye, finance minister Abdou Kolley, trade minister Abdou Jobe and tourism minister Benjamin Roberts had all resigned, the source said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons.

Roberts was appointed to replace Kolley on Monday, meaning he spent less than 24 hours in the new post, local media said.

The latest resignations came after the high-profile defection last week of information minister Sheriff Bojang, who is now sheltering in neighbouring Senegal.

Meanwhile, citizens packed their bags and streamed out of Banjul by road and ferry for Senegal, Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, taking as many possessions as they could carry.

One traveller told AFP that those arriving at 10am would have to wait until the following day to board a ferry at Banjul port to cross the river headed for Senegal, unless they bribed officials, due to huge numbers exiting the city.

The UN’s refugee agency has said several thousand Gambians have crossed the border in the last few weeks to shelter with extended family while they await January 19, when Jammeh is due to hand over power.

Barrow is in Senegal, where he plans to remain until the inauguration on Thursday.

The spectre of a military intervention in The Gambia has arisen in recent days following declarations by the United Nations and African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution to the crisis.

Fears of conflict were ramped up in Banjul following the weekend arrest of soldiers suspected of being sympathetic to Barrow, underlining significant disagreement within the armed forces over whom they will support come Thursday.

“Captain Babucarr Bah and some junior officers close to him were arrested on Sunday night at the Fajara barracks by members of the Republican Guards,” a security source told AFP, adding they were still being held at the headquarters of the feared National Intelligence Agency.

Republican guard commanders personally protect Jammeh and are picked for their loyalty.

Bah had told the guards that the army should be loyal to the state and Gambian people, the security source added, when the elite troops came to solicit support for the president just days ago.

Elsewhere Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf hit out at Jammeh for broadcasting a conversation they held by phone on Sunday on Gambian television without her knowledge.

“Unfortunately, being the person that he is, Jammeh recorded and televised their conversation without advising her of his intent to do so,” a statement from the Liberian presidency said.

Sirleaf was then quoted as saying that as of Monday “there is no change in ECOWAS position. The Constitution of The Gambia must be respected.”

The 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) has repeatedly called on Jammeh to respect the result of the vote and leave after 22 years in power.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, Sirleaf and Ghana’s ex-president John Mahama have appealed to Jammeh to step down twice in person, without success, most recently on Friday.

Jammeh has lodged a challenge to the election result with The Gambia’s Supreme Court and last week filed a fresh injunction to prevent the chief justice from swearing Barrow into office.

But on Monday, Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle said he could not hear the new case, dealing a blow to Jammeh’s efforts to halt Thursday’s inauguration.

In Rabat, it was reported that Morocco had offered Jammeh asylum for accepting the election defeat and stepping down “in return for a golden retirement”, but Banjul sources were reluctant to confirm the offer.</s>The Gambia’s parliament has extended President Yahya Jammeh’s term, which is due to end on Thursday following his defeat in elections, by 90 days.

It also approved his decision to declare a 90-day state of emergency in the tiny West African state.

Regional leaders have threatened to use military force to oust Mr Jammeh if he refuses to hand power to President-elect Adama Barrow on Thursday.

Thousands of UK and Dutch tourists are being evacuated from The Gambia.

The country is popular with European holidaymakers because of its beaches.

Africa Live: Updates on this and other stories

What happens next?

The Gambia was plunged into crisis after Mr Jammeh rejected Mr Barrow’s shock victory in the 1 December election.

In a televised announcement on Tuesday, Mr Jammeh said “any acts of disobedience to the laws of The Gambia, incitement of violence and acts intended to disturb public order and peace” were banned under the state of emergency.

He said security forces were instructed to “maintain absolute peace, law and order”.

What has been the international reaction?

The US State Department urged Mr Jammeh to transfer power to Mr Barrow on Thursday.

“Doing so would allow him to leave office with his head held high and to protect The Gambian people from potential chaos,” spokesman John Kirby said.

“Failure to do so will put his legacy, and more importantly The Gambia, in peril,” he added.

Regional bloc Ecowas, the Economic Community of West African States, has prepared a Senegal-led force to oust Mr Jammeh if he refuses to step down.

A military source told the BBC that a Nigerian warship was sailing towards The Gambia as a show of force ahead of possible military intervention.

Nigeria’s air force was contributing 200 “supporting” troops for the regional force, navy spokesman Capt Dahun Jahun told the Associated Press news agency.

Ghana was also contributing to the force, it reported.

Ecowas is acting with the backing of the African Union, which has said it will not recognise Mr Jammeh as president after Thursday.

Mr Barrow, a property developer, has been in Senegal since Saturday. His aides said he would return to The Gambia for his inauguration.

In his only comment since the state of emergency was declared, he tweeted: “We made history on the first day of December. Our future starts tomorrow.”

Last month, he said he would be sworn in at a ceremony organised by his transition team, raising the possibility of two rival presidents.

Mr Jammeh’s declaration of a state of emergency was seen as an attempt to block the ceremony, scheduled to take place at a stadium in Bakau town, west of the capital Banjul, from going ahead.

Mr Barrow could, technically, also be sworn in at The Gambian embassy in Senegal, however there are currently no visible preparations underway there.

Could there be violence?

Thousands of Gambians, including women and children, have been fleeing to Senegal and further afield, fearing unrest.

Travel firm Thomas Cook said it would fly back to the UK, over the next 48 hours, 985 customers from package holidays after the Foreign Office advised “against all but essential travel to The Gambia due to ongoing political uncertainty and potential military intervention following the presidential elections”.

About 1,600 Dutch citizens are also being flown home after similar advice from their government.

Tourism has become the fastest-growing sector of The Gambia’s economy, and the country, which has a population of about two million, was marketed to holidaymakers as “the smiling coast of West Africa”.

But many of its citizens are poor and complain of political repression. Some, including the goalkeeper of the national women’s football team, have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe in the hope of a better life.

Why is Mr Jammeh refusing to leave office?

He has ruled The Gambia since taking power in a bloodless coup in 1994.

The Gambia regularly held elections, which he won until his shock defeat in the latest poll.

Mr Jammeh has said there were irregularities in the election process, including the turning away of some of his supporters from polling stations, and errors made by the electoral commission.

The commission accepted that some of the results it initially published contained errors, but said Mr Barrow had still won.

Mr Jammeh has said he will stay in office until new elections are held.

Retaining power would also ensure he was not prosecuted in The Gambia for alleged abuses committed during his rule.</s>Thousands of UK holidaymakers are set to be flown home from The Gambia due to growing political unrest.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is warning against "all non-essential travel" to the west African nation due to potential military intervention following presidential elections on December 1.

There are fears the main international airport could be shut at short notice and holiday company Thomas Cook will lay on additional flights from the capital Banjul today to bring 985 package trip customers home.

The holiday firm said a flight scheduled from Manchester will leave the UK without passengers and bring the first group of tourists home. A further four flights have been arranged from Banjul back to the UK later - two flying to Manchester and two to Gatwick.

An additional 2,500 "flight-only" customers will then be contacted and offered the earliest possible flights back to the UK.

The action comes after Gambian President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency after refusing to hand power to opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won last month's election.

Mr Jammeh, who has ruled The Gambia with an iron fist for 22 years, initially acknowledged Mr Barrow as the winner but later said the ballot count was flawed and lodged a complaint with the country's supreme court.

State television said the state of emergency would prevent a power vacuum while the court rules on Mr Jammeh's petition challenging the election result.

Regional leaders have threatened to intervene with military force if Mr Jammeh does not step down by a deadline later this week.

The Association of British Travel Agents estimates there are around 2,000 people on holiday with its members in The Gambia and more will have travelled there independently.

British tourists on package holidays in the country were told to contact their tour operator to arrange return flights and independent travellers should contact their airlines.

An FCO spokesman said: "The potential for military intervention and civil disturbance is high and could result in Banjul International Airport being closed at short notice."

* Have you been affected? Let us know.</s>Thousands of UK holidaymakers are set to be flown home from The Gambia due to growing political unrest.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is warning against "all non-essential travel" to the west African nation due to potential military intervention following presidential elections on December 1.

There are fears the main international airport could be shut at short notice and holiday company Thomas Cook will lay on additional flights from the capital Banjul today to bring 985 package trip customers home.

The holiday firm said a flight scheduled from Manchester will leave the UK without passengers and bring the first group of tourists home. A further four flights have been arranged from Banjul back to the UK later - two flying to Manchester and two to Gatwick.

An additional 2,500 "flight-only" customers will then be contacted and offered the earliest possible flights back to the UK.

The action comes after Gambian President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency after refusing to hand power to opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won last month's election.

Mr Jammeh, who has ruled The Gambia with an iron fist for 22 years, initially acknowledged Mr Barrow as the winner but later said the ballot count was flawed and lodged a complaint with the country's supreme court.

State television said the state of emergency would prevent a power vacuum while the court rules on Mr Jammeh's petition challenging the election result.

Regional leaders have threatened to intervene with military force if Mr Jammeh does not step down by a deadline later this week.

The Association of British Travel Agents estimates there are around 2,000 people on holiday with its members in The Gambia and more will have travelled there independently.

British tourists on package holidays in the country were told to contact their tour operator to arrange return flights and independent travellers should contact their airlines.

An FCO spokesman said: "The potential for military intervention and civil disturbance is high and could result in Banjul International Airport being closed at short notice."

* Have you been affected? Let us know.</s>The Gambia’s parliament has extended President Yahya Jammeh’s term, which is due to end on Thursday following his defeat in elections, by 90 days.

It also approved his decision to declare a 90-day state of emergency in the tiny West African state.

The BBC reports that regional leaders have threatened to use military force to oust Mr Jammeh if he refuses to hand power to President-elect Adama Barrow on Thursday.

Thousands of UK and Dutch tourists are being evacuated from The Gambia.

The country is popular with European holidaymakers because of its beaches.</s>With tensions rising in The Gambia, a coalition of states have deployed forces along the country’s borders, poised to launch a military intervention should President Yahya Jammeh refuse to cede power to opposition leader Adama Barrow. At the time of writing there were reports that Senegalese troops had crossed the border into The Gambia.

While Jammeh is an unpopular figure domestically, regionally and internationally, the legality of a military intervention in The Gambia is far from clear. But whether the legality or otherwise of military intervention ever makes a difference to potential interveners is another matter.

In essence, in Africa, as elsewhere, the key determinant on whether a military intervention takes place is political will rather than legality. Military intervention is sanctioned and executed by states. It is thus always a function of state interests rather than the objective, principled enforcement of law.

As a result, the history of military intervention shows inconsistency and, at times, hypocrisy.

The UN Security Council has the primary – some would say exclusive – authority to mandate military intervention. According to the UN Charter, force is legal in two circumstances:
• None under Article 51 states may use force in self-defence; while
• None under Chapter VII the council can authorise the use of force in response to a threat to international peace and security.

In the case of The Gambia, self-defence clearly does not apply. And whether the matter is a threat to international peace and security is obviously a matter of opinion. But this is a largely academic consideration.

In practice, since the end of the Cold War the Security Council has interpreted some internal crises as threats to international peace and security. For example, in 1994 it mandated the use of force in Haiti to restore the ousted president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

While many welcomed its more proactive approach, the council has implemented this new understanding of its Chapter VII powers in a highly inconsistent and obviously political way.

Under Article 52 the UN recognises a role for regional organisations in “the peaceful settlement of disputes”. Article 53 stipulates that regional organisations can “take enforcement action” but this must be done “with explicit authorisation by the Security Council”.

Thus, while regional organisations are legally empowered to take enforcement action, this does not diminish the primacy of the Security Council. In practice, however, it has proved willing to tolerate regional organisations acting without prior authorisation.

This happened in 1990, when the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) intervened in Liberia and again in 1997 when it intervened in Sierra Leone. The monitoring group is a multilateral armed force established by the Economic Community of West African States.

The primacy of the Security Council was challenged – to an extent – in 2003 by the African Union’s (AU) Constitutive Act. Article 4(h) of the Act recognises its right:

This led to debates as to whether the AU, in effect, declared itself an alternative source of authority to the Security Council.

 Again, however, this is a largely academic matter for two reasons.

First, the AU has never triggered the article.

Second, and of more importance in the case of The Gambia, there is no evidence – yet – that war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity have been committed. The threshold has therefore not been met.

But, in 2003, a “Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the AU” was issued. This expanded the scope of Article 4(h) to include “a serious threat to legitimate order”. This would potentially apply in the case of The Gambia. But the protocols have not yet entered into force as two-thirds of the AU have yet to ratify them.

The final, and most controversial, basis on which military intervention can be legitimised is unilateral humanitarian intervention. This relates to situations where a state or group of states act without explicit UN authorisation to prevent or halt atrocities being perpetrated inside another state.

Perhaps the clearest example in recent years was NATO’s intervention in Kosovo in 1999. While the illegality of such intervention is relatively clear, some have argued that such action can at times be legitimate on moral or humanitarian grounds.

Tanzania’s intervention in Uganda in 1979, though technically illegal, was essentially tolerated – and in some quarters openly welcomed – given the nature of Idi Amin’s regime. Again, however, in the case of The Gambia, there is scant evidence of atrocity crimes. Thus this cannot be a basis on which an intervention is legitimised.

Not that the prospect of atrocity crimes in The Gambia can be ruled out. In June 2016 the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide condemned Jammeh’s inflammatory comments about the Mandinka ethnic group as “irresponsible and extremely dangerous”. Many have accused him of a history of inciting ethnic division.

Thus, as it stands, it is not clear that military intervention in The Gambia would be legal. Yet one may well wonder whether this actually matters. History suggests that politics, rather than legal texts, determines both whether interventions take place, and how they are perceived by the international community

In Africa, interventions to date illustrate that political calculations – particularly of powerful states – have always been key to the impetus for intervention.

This is true too of the regional response to intervention. This was particularly evident in to Nigeria’s role within ECOMOG. In 1990 the monitoring group intervened in Liberia, in 1997 in Sierra Leone, and in 1999 in Guinea-Bissau.

The interventions in Liberia and Sierra Leone are generally deemed to have been a success. But the intervention in Guinea-Bissau – though initially key to preventing major loss of life – essentially ended in failure. Without the political will exercised by Nigeria, the interventions are unlikely to have occurred.

In this sense, military interventions have always been the function more of political calculations than determinations to act in defence of human rights or defend democracy. Indicatively, ECOMOG’s interventions highlighted fissures between Anglophone and Francophone states. Debates on the merits of military action have been largely divided along these lines.

Both ECOWAS and the African Union are coalitions of states. Previous attempts to create a genuinely trans-state political union in Africa have failed, and while the AU’s charter includes a provision for a standing army, this does not exist. Thus politics and national interests will, as ever, drive the response to The Gambia.

A robust and quick response to this crisis may well be legitimate. But it will invariably lead people to wonder why the intervening states were so keen to act swiftly in The Gambia, while similar resolve was not in evidence elsewhere.</s>Thousands of UK holidaymakers are set to be flown home from The Gambia due to growing political unrest.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is warning against "all non-essential travel" to the west African nation due to potential military intervention following presidential elections on December 1.

There are fears the main international airport could be shut at short notice and holiday company Thomas Cook will lay on additional flights from the capital Banjul today to bring 985 package trip customers home.

The holiday firm said a flight scheduled from Manchester will leave the UK without passengers and bring the first group of tourists home. A further four flights have been arranged from Banjul back to the UK later - two flying to Manchester and two to Gatwick.

An additional 2,500 "flight-only" customers will then be contacted and offered the earliest possible flights back to the UK.

The action comes after Gambian President Yahya Jammeh declared a state of emergency after refusing to hand power to opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won last month's election.

Mr Jammeh, who has ruled The Gambia with an iron fist for 22 years, initially acknowledged Mr Barrow as the winner but later said the ballot count was flawed and lodged a complaint with the country's supreme court.

State television said the state of emergency would prevent a power vacuum while the court rules on Mr Jammeh's petition challenging the election result.

Regional leaders have threatened to intervene with military force if Mr Jammeh does not step down by a deadline later this week.

The Association of British Travel Agents estimates there are around 2,000 people on holiday with its members in The Gambia and more will have travelled there independently.

British tourists on package holidays in the country were told to contact their tour operator to arrange return flights and independent travellers should contact their airlines.

An FCO spokesman said: "The potential for military intervention and civil disturbance is high and could result in Banjul International Airport being closed at short notice."</s>The tiny West African nation of Gambia is on the verge of a military intervention as its leader of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh, refuses to relinquish power to president-elect Adama Barrow.

Tens of thousands of residents have fled, as troops from Nigeria and Senegal prepare to invade the country and use force to install Mr Barrow as the rightful president on January 19.

Mr Jammeh initially accepted the December 1 election result, but a week later, he reversed his decision, claiming that voter fraud had cost him the election. He has since petitioned Gambia's Supreme Court for a re-run of the polls, in what critics have said is simply an attempt to cling to power. On Wednesday Gambia's parliament voted to extend his term by 90 days.

Delegations led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have tried to convince Mr Jammeh to step aside, to little result.</s>Finance, foreign affairs, trade and the environment ministers quit Jammeh's government as end of his term looms.

The Gambia's ministers for finance, foreign affairs, trade and the environment have resigned from President Yahya Jammeh's government, according to ministry sources and state television.

The resignations were announced on Tuesday less than a day after the country's Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle pulled out of a case filed by Jammeh seeking to stop the inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow.

Fagbenle said late on Monday that he could not hear the new case, dealing a blow to Jammeh's efforts to halt the inauguration of Barrow, who remains in Senegal.

Inside Story: Can a showdown be averted in Gambia?

The inauguration is scheduled for Thursday, when Barrow is expected to return from Senegal.

"Given that the injunction affects me in my capacity as the chief justice, I will recuse myself from hearing it," he said.

"The motion therefore waits for the constitution of the Supreme Court or allow the judges to arrive in The Gambia."

Edward Gomez, a lawyer for Jammeh's party, conceded that it was "certainly not possible under these circumstances" to have an injunction barring Barrow from being sworn in.

On Tuesday, Morocco's Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar and a top secret service official arrived in The Gambian capital Banjul to hold talks with Jammeh, Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reported from neighbouring Senegal.

There have been talks of a possible asylum or exile for Jammeh to an African country, in exchange for him stepping down.

The small West African country has been plunged into political turmoil since Jammeh disputed Barrow's December election victory and refused to cede power.

Jammeh has lodged a challenge to the election result with The Gambia's Supreme Court and last week filed a fresh injunction to prevent the chief justice from swearing Barrow into office.

Last week the Supreme Court said Jammeh's challenge to the election result could not be heard for several months as it did not have a full bench, and the extra judges needed to hear the case were not available.

The Gambia relies on foreign judges, notably from Nigeria, to staff its courts due to a lack of its own trained professionals.

With tensions running high, Jammeh said on Sunday that he had spoken to Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and was adamant he would not budge until the Supreme Court had heard his challenge to the poll result.

"The so-called deadline of January 19, 2017, is not cast in stone and all parties shall await the outcome of the Supreme Court," he said on state television.

Leaders of neighbouring countries and the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, have repeatedly called on the long-serving strongman to leave office peacefully, so far to no avail.

As well as Sirleaf, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghana's President John Mahama, who left office 10 days ago, have appealed to Jammeh to step down twice in person, without success, most recently on Friday.

Barrow was the surprise guest at a Bamako summit over the weekend, where he was welcomed as a head of state and introduced to several world leaders.

On Sunday, a personal tragedy struck his family when his eight-year-old son Habibou died after being bitten by dogs, according to a family source.

The prospect of military intervention in The Gambia has even been floated in recent days, following declarations by the United Nations and African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution of the crisis.

The head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel said on Friday that ECOWAS would ask the Security Council to approve the deployment of troops to The Gambia if Jammeh continues to refuse to leave office.

On Friday, it was reported that the Nigerian military issued a memo to prepare 800 soldiers for a possible deployment in Gambia. There have also been reports that the Nigerian military has sought training and logistical support from British advisers before any military intervention.

Before his inauguration on Thursday, Barrow's special adviser Mai Fatty read a statement on his behalf in Dakar, urging Gambians to "exercise restraint, observe the rule of law and not to respond to provocation".</s>The Gambia’s ministers for finance, foreign affairs, trade and the environment have resigned from President Yahya Jammeh’s government, according to ministry sources and state television.

The resignations were announced on Tuesday less than a day after the country’s Chief Justice Emmanuel Fagbenle pulled out of a case filed by Jammeh seeking to stop the inauguration of President-elect Adama Barrow.

Fagbenle said late on Monday that he could not hear the new case, dealing a blow to Jammeh’s efforts to halt the inauguration of Barrow, who remains in Senegal.

The inauguration is scheduled for Thursday, when Barrow is expected to return from Senegal.

“Given that the injunction affects me in my capacity as the chief justice, I will recuse myself from hearing it,” he said.

“The motion therefore waits for the constitution of the Supreme Court or allow the judges to arrive in The Gambia.”

Edward Gomez, a lawyer for Jammeh’s party, conceded that it was “certainly not possible under these circumstances” to have an injunction barring Barrow from being sworn in.

On Tuesday, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Salaheddine Mezouar and a top secret service official arrived in The Gambian capital Banjul to hold talks with Jammeh, Al Jazeera’s Nicolas Haque reported from neighbouring Senegal.

There have been talks of a possible asylum or exile for Jammeh to an African country, in exchange for him stepping down.

The small West African country has been plunged into political turmoil since Jammeh disputed Barrow’s December election victory and refused to cede power.

Jammeh has lodged a challenge to the election result with The Gambia’s Supreme Court and last week filed a fresh injunction to prevent the chief justice from swearing Barrow into office.

Last week the Supreme Court said Jammeh’s challenge to the election result could not be heard for several months as it did not have a full bench, and the extra judges needed to hear the case were not available.

The Gambia relies on foreign judges, notably from Nigeria, to staff its courts due to a lack of its own trained professionals.

With tensions running high, Jammeh said on Sunday that he had spoken to Liberian leader Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and was adamant he would not budge until the Supreme Court had heard his challenge to the poll result.

“The so-called deadline of January 19, 2017, is not cast in stone and all parties shall await the outcome of the Supreme Court,” he said on state television.

Leaders of neighbouring countries and the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, have repeatedly called on the long-serving strongman to leave office peacefully, so far to no avail.

As well as Sirleaf, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Ghana’s President John Mahama, who left office 10 days ago, have appealed to Jammeh to step down twice in person, without success, most recently on Friday.

Barrow was the surprise guest at a Bamako summit over the weekend, where he was welcomed as a head of state and introduced to several world leaders.

On Sunday, a personal tragedy struck his family when his eight-year-old son Habibou died after being bitten by dogs, according to a family source.

The prospect of military intervention in The Gambia has even been floated in recent days, following declarations by the United Nations and African Union that boots on the ground could get the green light without a rapid resolution of the crisis.

The head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel said on Friday that ECOWAS would ask the Security Council to approve the deployment of troops to The Gambia if Jammeh continues to refuse to leave office.

On Friday, it was reported that the Nigerian military issued a memo to prepare 800 soldiers for a possible deployment in Gambia. There have also been reports that the Nigerian military has sought training and logistical support from British advisers before any military intervention.

Before his inauguration on Thursday, Barrow’s special adviser Mai Fatty read a statement on his behalf in Dakar, urging Gambians to “exercise restraint, observe the rule of law and not to respond to provocation” – Al Jazeera and news agencies
Thousands of British tourists are evacuated from the Gambia as West African states prepare to take military action to remove President Yahya Jammeh from power as his term ends.