Gambia's Jammeh criticizes foreign pressure

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Gambia's outgoing president Yahya Jammeh has criticized foreign pressure for him to step down and called on Gambians to wait for a Supreme Court decision to determine the credibility of the Dec. 1 elections that he lost.

Jammeh, in a speech late Tuesday night, said Gambians can resolve the crisis without "undue foreign interference." He said the country should await the Supreme Court decision on a petition filed against elections that saw Jammeh lose to opposition coalition candidate Adama Barrow.

Gambia's Supreme Court says it cannot hear the case until May.

Jammeh called for no arrests during the postelection period and criticized a call by the West African regional bloc for him to step down.

Barrow has said he will go forward with his inauguration on Jan. 19.