The authorities of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced on March 6 the creation of a joint force to combat terrorist groups operating in the African Sahel region.
Jerrymusa.com reports that this came to light during the Alliance of Sahel States member nations’ Council of Chiefs of Staff conference, which took place at the Mahatma Gandhi International Conference Centre in Niamey, Niger.
Following the meeting, the chief of staff of the Niger Armed Forces, Brigadier General Moussa Salaou Barmou, declared that “the joint force will be deployed as soon as possible to meet the security challenges in our region.”
‘Sahel States’ to Improve Security
To create security measures on the Alliance of Sahel States’ territory, suggestions and ideas drafted by experts and ministers from the three nations were examined during the meeting in Niamey.
The Alliance of Sahel States, a collective defence group founded by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in September 2023, declared that “any assault against one member’s sovereignty or territorial integrity would be viewed as an attack against the group as a whole, necessitating their support—including the use of force.”
Radical armed organisations have wreaked havoc on the three countries, attacking both the military and civilian populations.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger said on January 28, 2024, that they would be departing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) without any further delay.
They claim that through its sanctions, ECOWAS has only served to worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel countries rather than aiding the three countries in their fight against terrorism.