Burkina Faso Announces Large — Scale Operations Against Armed Groups in Sahel. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso — Lead Paragraph: Interim leader of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore, has vowed to launch “large-scale “joint operations against armed groups in the Sahel region, according to statements made during a summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The AES, consisting of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, is a regional alliance of military — led countries formed in 2024.
The joint summit concluded on Tuesday, following the launch of a joint military battalion aimed at combating groups linked to al — Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS). Traore, who newly assumed the role of AES chief, did not provide specific details about the operations planned by the three countries. All three nations have experienced coups in recent years and have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc to form the AES.
The AES summit aimed to deepen security and economic ties among the member countries. This week’s launch of the 5,000-strong AES Unified Force (FU-AES) is considered a significant milestone for the bloc.
The military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have expelled France and the United States as security partners, opting to align with Russia in their quest for regional sovereignty.
General Omar Tchiani, leader of Niger’s military government, declared at the summit that the AES had “put an end to all occupation forces in our countries. Officials commented on the matter.
During the summit, the three states also launched AES Television, a joint broadcaster described by Malian President General Assimi Goita as a tool to counter disinformation campaigns and hostile narratives.
Goita reported positive operational outcomes, claiming several terrorist bases had been destroyed. He also praised the region’s mining and agricultural potential, refuting narratives depicting the Sahel as structurally poor.
The second annual AES summit reflects growing collaboration among the three countries, despite their fractured relations and coup — related sanctions from global partners.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, noted the alliance’s popularity among citizens of the three countries and its efforts to deepen cooperation beyond military operations. Further details about the upcoming operations against armed groups in the Sahel are expected in the coming days.
The effectiveness of the AES in addressing the security challenges in the region remains to be seen.
