Sahel Alliance: Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali to Deploy Unified 5,000-Troop Force
A formidable joint force comprising 5,000 troops from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali is set to deploy imminently across the central Sahel region to tackle escalating security threats.
This was announced by Niger’s Defence Minister, Salifou Mody, on state television, signalling a significant shift in the security landscape of the troubled region.
The three nations, governed by military juntas following a series of coups between 2020 and 2023, have forged a historic alliance under the banner of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
This cooperation pact was conceived last year after the countries severed long-standing military and diplomatic ties with regional allies, including France, and other Western powers.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mody disclosed that the AES force is nearly operational and equipped with air assets, intelligence resources, and advanced equipment to conduct joint operations across the territories of the member states.
“The unified AES force is nearly ready, numbering 5,000 personnel,” Mody announced. “It’s only a matter of weeks before this force will be visible on the ground.”
He further revealed that preliminary joint operations have already been executed successfully.
The deployment comes amid an intensifying conflict with Islamist militant groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, which has plagued the region for over a decade.
Violence has surged in the aftermath of the coups, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting that approximately 2.6 million people had been displaced within the central Sahel as of December 2024.
The creation of the AES and its unified force underscores a decisive departure from West Africa’s traditional frameworks.
The three nations have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), rejecting decades of political and economic integration championed by the regional bloc.
While ECOWAS continues to urge the countries to reconsider their exit, the establishment of the AES highlights a clear intent to address security challenges independently, amid strained relations with both regional and Western allies.
This development marks a turning point in the Sahel’s fight against insecurity, with the unified force poised to reshape the region’s approach to counter-terrorism and stability efforts.
Source: Reuters
