The Gambia's former president has been given an ultimatum to leave the country or be forcibly ousted by Senegalese troops.

Former leader Yahya Jammeh has refused to step down from office and says he does not accept the result of an election won by Adama Barrow, a former London security guard.

The standoff prompted Senegalese troops to invade Gambia in a bid to get Mr Jammeh to cede to Mr Barrow, but the operation was halted to allow time for mediation.

Image: Mr Barrow, a former Argos security guard, won last month's election

An official for the West African bloc of nations, ECOWAS, said the former president had until noon on Friday to leave the country or the military operation would resume.

The invasion was backed by the UN Security Council, which approved a resolution expressing its "full support" to Mr Barrow.


It comes just hours after Mr Barrow, 51, was sworn in as president at The Gambia's embassy in Senegal.

:: Scroll down to read Sky correspondent Stuart Ramsay's account from The Gambia's capital Banjul

You can change your politics, but never can you change your favourite football team! Thank you — @Arsenal! #Gambia #Arsenal pic.twitter.com/Pr1yFq58AK — Adama Barrow (@adama_barrow) January 7, 2017

Mr Barrow said his inauguration was "a victory of the Gambian nation".

He said: "Our national flag will fly high among those of the most democratic nations of the world."

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Mr Barrow also warned armed forces to "remain in their barracks" and said anyone "found wanting or in possession of firearms without my order will be considered rebels".

Image: Jammeh's mandate to rule The Gambia expired at midnight

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According to news agency AFP, Gambian army chief Ousman Badjie said he would not engage his soldiers in a "political dispute".

Senegalese colonel Abdou Ndiaye said his army had launched a "significant" operation to "restore democracy".

:: Sky News Chief Correspondent Stuart Ramsay, who is on the ground in the Gambian capital, describes what he is seeing:

It started slowly but soon burst into a jubilant street party the size of a city. Thousands streaming through the streets of Banjul, the official home of the Gambia's presidents, and soon, they hope, the home of a new one.

Newly sworn in and with international support for military intervention here, the hysterical supporters of Adama Barrow, honking, waving flags and flashing victory signs, wanted to express their belief that a new era has dawned; a belief they had held on to for years.

"We are free!" they screamed.

Image: A street party erupted in the Gambian capital Banjul

"We believed and we want to be happy," a man shouted above the noise of the cord around us.

There is still a state of emergency here and I saw small convoys of troops weaving their way around the city occasionally showing their support for the crowd but mainly looking slightly lost and anxious.

The launching of the multinational west African military operation "Operation Restoring Democracy" on land sea and air only underlines the military dimension to all of this and that can not be ignored.

It is uncertain when Mr Barrow will travel here after his unusual inauguration in his Senegal embassy. Likewise the future of the former president, Mr Jammeh. There are reports he is negotiating an exit; but some troops remain loyal and that can be dangerous.

Despite the ongoing uncertainty the first joyous celebrations washed away weeks of growing tension here; a party celebrating the end of over two decades of rule by one man. They hope it lasts.