Gambians have celebrated in the streets after a West African regional military force entered the capital city of Banjul and took control of the presidential palace, the symbolic seat of ex-ruler Yahya Jammeh's 22-year authoritarian regime.

Key points: West African regional military ECOWAS deploys troops to The Gambia to maintain security

West African regional military ECOWAS deploys troops to The Gambia to maintain security New President Adama Barrow denies Jammeh has been offered immunity from prosecution

New President Adama Barrow denies Jammeh has been offered immunity from prosecution Officials says there are reports Jammeh looted millions of dollars in state resources

Mr Jammeh, who refused to accept defeat to opposition challenger Adama Barrow in a December election, flew out of Banjul late on Saturday en route to Equatorial Guinea as the regional force was poised to remove him.

Hundreds of Banjul residents assembled outside State House as darkness fell after soldiers, who deployed on Sunday to secure the country, moved in to secure the compound.

Cheering and singing, some revellers sought to capture the moment for posterity, posing for photos with the Senegalese troops.

"We are free," said food seller Isatou Toure, 35.

"Everyone is so happy that man is gone. We are happy to see [the soldiers]. They protected us from Jammeh."

Senegalese army officials said the force — known as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which also includes troops from Nigeria, Ghana and Mali — met no resistance as they advanced on Sunday.

But even amid the celebrations, troubling details of Mr Jammeh's departure began to emerge.

Yahya Jammeh, dressed in white, was flown to Equatorial Guinea on Saturday. ( Reuters: Thierry Gouegnon, file )

Speaking to radio station RFM in Senegal, where he is waiting to return to Gambia, Mr Barrow said that, upon initial inspection, it appeared Mr Jammeh had looted state resources.

"According to information we received, there is no money in the coffers," he said.

"It's what we have been told, but the day we actually take office, we will clarify all of it."

In a news conference later in the day, Mr Barrow advisor Mai Ahmad Fatty said 500 million dalasis ($15 million) had been withdrawn by Mr Jammeh in the past two weeks.

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The regional military operation was first launched late on Thursday after Mr Barrow was sworn in as president at the Gambian embassy in neighbouring Senegal, but it was halted hours later to give Mr Jammeh one last chance to leave peacefully.

His departure followed two days of negotiations led by Guinea President Alpha Conde and Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, prompting speculation over what, if any, terms were agreed upon to convince him to step down.

"He wanted to stay in Gambia," Mr Barrow said.

"We said we couldn't guarantee his security and said that he should leave."

Mr Barrow denied that Mr Jammeh had been offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for leaving the country.

A regional intervention supporting new President Adama Barrow was underway. ( Reuters: Thierry Gouegnon, file )

Reuters