Pics: Thousands of foreign nationals flee Gambia as crisis deepens

Thousands of tourists and foreign nationals have been flooding the Banjul airport in an effort to return home as the political crisis in Gambia deepens. According to several reports, the foreigners are said to have been traveling out of the country since Monday, January 17, 2017, as they fear the political crisis could result into a civil war.

President Yahya Jammeh, who is supposed to cede power Thursday, the same day President-elect Adama Barrow is expected to be sworn in as his successor, declared a 90-day state of emergency on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Prior to his declaration, the Gambia’s National Assembly on Wednesday, January 18, 2017, passed a resolution to allow President Yahya Jammeh to stay in office for the 90 days.