French authorities have condemned the attempted coup d’etat this week against the Barrow government. 

“France strongly condemns the recent attempted coup against President Adama Barrow in The Gambia.

“We reaffirm our support for the positions taken by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),” the French ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement.

The French condemnation followed that of the regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who expressed dismay and shock over the news.

“ECOWAS Commission salutes the leadership and personnel of The Gambia security services for their adherence to their constitutional role and for foiling this illegal plot,” ECOWAS said in a statement.

A Gambian government spokesman announced on Wednesday that they had foiled a military coup attempt the previous day, saying in a statement that four soldiers had been arrested and assured the situation was fully under control.

Earlier this month, ECOWAS members met in Abuja, Nigeria and agreed on the creation of a regional force that would intervene in the case of a coup d’etat.

The last coup attempt in the region was in 2020, after successful coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.