Mali
The combined anti-jihadist forces of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali executed “intensive aerial operations” within Malian territory. This action followed recent assaults by al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists and Tuareg separatist groups, as confirmed by the Nigerien government late on Thursday.
Over the preceding weekend, jihadist factions alongside their Tuareg separatist allies mounted the most significant offensive in Mali in nearly fifteen years. This included seizing the strategic northern town of Kidal and tragically resulting in the death of Defence Minister Sadio Camara.
The West African nations of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger constitute the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This alliance established a unified force initially comprising 5,000 personnel, which was subsequently augmented to 15,000 by mid-April.
Following a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening, Nigerien authorities “commended… the swift and decisive response of the unified force’s units… which conducted vigorous aerial campaigns in the hours after the cowardly attacks of April 25, 2026, across Gao, Menaka, and Kidal.”
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Malian Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front, had earlier urged Burkina Faso and Niger “to remain disengaged from the unfolding events in Mali” shortly after the attacks commenced.
All three member states of the AES are currently governed by military juntas, having assumed power through coups d’état between 2020 and 2023.
These recent attacks targeting the Malian military junta and its Russian paramilitary allies have plunged the former French colony into a severe security crisis.
At Camara’s funeral on Thursday, Burkina Faso Defence Minister Celestin Simpore, representing the AES, solemnly vowed to “pursue relentlessly” the “perpetrators” of these acts.
‘Collective Support’
Concurrently, approximately one thousand individuals gathered in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on the same day to demonstrate “solidarity with the Malian populace,” as broadcast live on social media platforms.
Inside the Djado Sekou Cultural Center, attendees chanted slogans such as “down with the imperialists,” “down with the terrorists and their backers,” and “long live the AES,” while a photograph of Camara was prominently displayed.
Effred Mouloul, a representative from the coalition of civil society organizations orchestrating the event, conveyed: “To the Malian people, we declare: ‘You are not isolated; the active forces of Niger and the entire AES stand firmly by your side and extend their full and unequivocal solidarity.'”
He criticized African leaders for a “conspicuous absence of tangible solidarity in the face of the targeted assassination” of Malian leaders and advocated for the withdrawal of French forces from AES territories.
Nigerien authorities have accused external powers, particularly France, of “abetting the weekend assaults” in Mali. Niger has consistently “alleged France’s intentions to destabilize it,” an accusation Paris refutes.
For security considerations, the government of Niger has canceled all May 1 parades across the nation.