The Niger Republic junta has threatened to kill ousted President Mohamed Bazoum should there be any military intervention from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

The Associated Press reported on Thursday that two “Western officials” disclosed that the putschists issued the threat while speaking to a top U.S. diplomat.

The military leaders reportedly made the threat shortly before ECOWAS directed the deployment of a standby force to restore democracy in Niger.

The international community is scrambling to find a peaceful solution to the country’s leadership crisis.

According to AP, a Western military official, who speaks because of the sensitivity of the situation on condition of anonymity, said representatives of the junta told U.S. Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland of the threat to Bazoum during her visit to the country this week.

Aneliese Bernard, a former U.S. State Department official who specializes in African affairs and is now the director of Strategic Stabilization Advisors, a risk advisory group, said the threats from both ECOWAS and the junta escalate tensions but will hopefully nudge them closer to actually talking.

“Still, this junta has escalated its moves so quickly that it’s possible they do something more extreme, as that has been their approach so far,” she cautioned.

The Daily Post reports that the Niger junta formed a new government on Thursday.