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Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger unveil joint 5,000-strong Sahel force to counter insurgency and deepen regional military cooperation.
At an air force base in Bamako, Mali’s army ruler, General Assimi Goita, presided over a ceremony marking the creation of a unified military force for the Sahel countries, a move aimed at bolstering regional security.
The 5,000-strong force brings together troops from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—three nations currently led by military juntas and grappling with a persistent Islamist insurgency. In January, Niger’s Defence Minister said the force would “intervene together” to counter security threats in the region.
Burkinabe General Daouda Traoré was appointed to lead the new force, which will maintain its command base in Niamey, Niger’s capital. The Bamako ceremony was attended by defence ministers from the Sahel Alliance member states, alongside ambassadors and representatives of international organisations accredited to Mali.
The formation of the Sahel Alliance follows the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS, which the alliance accuses of imposing “inhumane, coup-related sanctions” and acting against the interests of citizens in member countries. The unified force represents the latest effort by the three nations to deepen military and strategic integration in the region. (Arise News)
