The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—has launched a unified military force to combat the jihadist insurgency that has destabilized the region for over a decade. This move follows their collective exit from the Western-backed G5 Sahel and the ECOWAS bloc. It grants the military juntas in Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey domestic legitimacy by asserting “sovereign” security solutions and removing outside influence. However, civilians remain at high risk as the shift toward kinetic, “scorched-earth” tactics lacks the developmental and human rights safeguards of previous international missions. If the AES force fails to contain the violence, the vacuum will likely be filled by Al-Qaeda and ISIS affiliates, potentially pushing the conflict south into coastal West African states and forcing a massive new wave of migration toward Europe.
ISS
