Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have launched a joint regional military force, deepening cooperation among the three Sahel states as they confront a persistent Islamist insurgency. The new force was formally unveiled at an air force base in Bamako, where Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goita presided over the ceremony. Expected to number around 5,000 personnel, the unit will conduct coordinated operations across borders, with its command headquarters based in Niamey, the capital of Niger. Burkinabe General Daouda Traoré has been appointed to lead the force. The initiative follows the countries’ withdrawal from ECOWAS, which they accuse of imposing harmful sanctions. Together, the alliance signals a push for security self-reliance and tighter political integration in the Sahel.
Africa News
