Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have formally launched a joint military force to strengthen security across the Sahel region amid worsening insurgency threats. The 5,000-strong force was unveiled at an air force base in Bamako, where Mali’s military ruler, General Assimi Goita, presided over the ceremony.
The new force brings together troops from the three junta-led countries, all battling Islamist violence. Burkinabe General Daouda Traoré was appointed commander, with the force’s operational base located in Niamey, Niger. Defence ministers from member states, diplomats and international observers attended the event.
The initiative follows the countries’ withdrawal from ECOWAS, which they accuse of imposing harsh sanctions after military takeovers. The Sahel Alliance says the joint force will allow coordinated responses to shared security threats and deepen military cooperation outside ECOWAS structures.
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