West African states yesterday ordered an arms embargo on Guinea over last month's massacre of unarmed opposition activists at a rally, an official statement said.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said at the end of a special summit that it had asked its chairman, Nigerian President Umaru Yar'adua, to take "all necessary measures" to obtain the support of the African Union, EU and UN to enforce the embargo.
"In view of the atrocities that have been committed, and steps taken by the CNDD (junta) authorities to acquire new weapons, (ECOWAS) ...decides to impose an arms embargo on Guinea," said the leaders' statement.
The 15-country ECOWAS was under pressure to adopt a tough line against the Guinea regime in the wake of last month's deadly crackdown on the opposition by government soldiers.
The junta led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, who seized power last December on the death of longtime strongman Lansana Conte, has been roundly blamed for the shooting of dozens of protestors against his regime at a Conakry stadium on September 28.
Human rights groups say that at least 157 people were killed and 1,200 were injured, including many women who were raped by soldiers. The junta says 56 people died.
Camara also faces an African Union deadline to give a written pledge by midnight Saturday not to run in polls due in three months.
While yesterday's final communique made no mention of the AU ultimatum, ECOWAS Commission president Mohamed Ibn Chambas told AFP the grouping subscribed to the pan-African body's position.
"We expect that Guinean authorities will not defy the AU because that's our common organisation," he said.
West African leaders fear the crisis in Guinea - the world's top bauxite exporter - could erupt into civil war and destabilise the region.
The summit urged its mediator, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, to take steps to reopen dialogue with the aim of setting up a new transitional authority to organise elections speedily.
The regional bloc also discussed the situation in member Niger, where President Mamadou Tandja is clinging on to power depite calls for him to step down when his second term ends in December.
The leaders called for legislative elections planned for next week to be suspended indefinitely in favour of dialogue to resolve the country's political crisis.
They also imposed limited sanctions on Niamey, barring it from putting up candidates for posts in international organisations or hosting ECOWAS meetings.