Gambian President Adama Barrow officially inaugurated after standoff

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Gambian President Adama Barrow formally took the oath of office on home soil Saturday after a tense weeks-long standoff with the nation's former president who refused to cede power after losing last year's election.

Barrow first swore the oath of office in January in neighboring Senegal, where he was forced into exile when former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh refused to accept the outcome of the nation's presidential election and tried to remain in power.

After weeks of international pressure and threats of a military intervention, Jammeh finally announced he would step down. He has since left the country in exile in Equatorial Guinea.

Barrow was sworn in before thousands of Gambians at a soccer stadium in a town near the capital, Banjul. He first returned to the country Jan. 26, when he assumed power.

Leaders of several African nations were in attendance for Barrow's official inauguration, including the president of Senegal, Macky Sall, who helped negotiate an end to the standoff with Jammeh.

Saturday's ceremony comes on Gambia's traditional independence day celebration, though during Jammeh's 22-year reign citizens were ordered to ignore the Feb. 18 holiday and instead celebrate the anniversary of Jammeh assuming power.