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| Goïta highlighted that troops from the three nations have already conducted joint strikes, neutralizing terrorist leaders and destroying insurgent bases, emphasizing the unit's focus on sovereignty and reduced reliance on external interventions. |
— BAMAKO, Mali
The military-led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger officially launched a new joint military force on December 20, 2025, described by observers as a NATO-style alliance aimed at combating escalating Islamist insurgencies in the Sahel region.
Known as the United Force of the Alliance of Sahel States (FU-AES), the 5,000-troop unit was unveiled at an air force base in Bamako, Mali, during a ceremony presided over by Mali's junta leader, Colonel Assimi Goïta, who currently chairs the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The force integrates air, intelligence, and ground capabilities for coordinated cross-border operations, with Burkinabe Brigadier-General Daouda Traoré appointed as commander and headquarters established in Niamey, Niger.
Goïta highlighted that troops from the three nations have already conducted joint strikes, neutralizing terrorist leaders and destroying insurgent bases, emphasizing the unit's focus on sovereignty and reduced reliance on external interventions.
“It is a good step at the appropriate time,” Rasmane Hama told Gazette Africa. This launch underlines the deepening divisions in West Africa, following the withdrawal of the ESA countries from ECOWAS at the beginning of 2025.