Gambia crisis: Jammeh given last chance to resign as troops close in

West African leaders are in The Gambia to try to persuade Yahya Jammeh to cede power to his elected successor.

Mr Jammeh was given until noon to leave office or be forced out by UN-backed regional forces, but the deadline was extended to allow last-ditch talks.

Troops have been told to halt their advance until the talks are over.

The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) is acting in support of new President Adama Barrow, who was sworn in on Thursday.

His legitimacy as president has been recognised internationally, after he was voted in last month.

Guinea's President Alpha Conde and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz have arrived in Banjul for the talks with Mr Jammeh.

The chairman of the Ecowas commission, Marcel Alain de Souza, said that if the meeting with Mr Conde proved unsuccessful, military action would follow. 

BBC