Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have declared their intention to establish a joint force to combat jihadist threats within their borders.
Niger’s army chief, Moussa Salaou Barmou, revealed that the joint force would become operational as soon as possible, although specific details regarding its size were not provided.
He made this announcement during a televised address on Wednesday following discussions held in Niamey, the capital city.
Jihadist groups affiliated with both Islamic State and al-Qaeda have inflicted significant casualties, claiming thousands of lives in the region over the past year.
The military administrations in these three countries have increasingly aligned themselves as close allies in recent months.
In September, they established a mutual defense pact called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), withdrawing from the G5 international force originally established to combat Islamist extremism in the region.
Despite assurances from the military governments to address the long-standing conflict with jihadist factions, violence in the Sahel region of West Africa has escalated in recent years.
All three nations have severed their relationships with France, their former colonial ruler, which had maintained a robust military presence throughout the Sahel region for many years.
Additionally, Mali ordered the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission, Minusma, which had been in operation for over a decade, completing the exit in December.
To fill the vacuum left by France’s departure, the military regimes have strengthened ties with Russia.
They have also announced their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), having already been suspended from the bloc.
Ecowas has been urging a swift return to democratic governance and had imposed travel and economic sanctions on the military rulers.
However, some of these sanctions were lifted or relaxed last month as Ecowas encouraged dialogue between the parties involved.
Source-BBC
