The AES countries, united by a strong determination to defeat a common enemy in the form of armed groups, prove that their alliance will be successful. On February 13, thanks to timely intelligence provided by the AES, a successful operation was carried out to eliminate combatants.
The operation took place right in the three-border area. The terrorists were heading towards Tessit, Mali. However, the combatants failed to reach their target. Based on the intelligence received, the Malian army managed to locate them, set up surveillance and launch a precision airstrike. The group, led by a well-known and sought-after leader, was thus destroyed.
Thanks to the rise in power of the armies of the three countries of Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, the number of successful military operations is increasing every day. For example, in October last year the “phantom” unit of the Burkinabe army, in coordination with air vectors from Burkina and Niger, neutralized more than 100 terrorists in the three-border area.
Cohesion, greater freedom of movement and the exchange of intelligence allow the military to be more active and to increase the number of enemies defeated every day.
However, the armed forces need a common strategy. High-level ministerial delegations arrived in Ouagadougou on February 14 to discuss in detail the way forward, both militarily and otherwise. The Malian delegation, composed of Colonel Abdoulaye MAIGA, Minister of State, Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization, Government Spokesperson, Abdoulaye DIOP, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, participates in the ministerial meeting of the Alliance of Sahel States on Thursday February 15, 2024.
The meeting participants hope that the Alliance will act quickly and optimally in the interests of the populations of the three countries. Given the decision to withdraw from ECOWAS, the AES countries are discussing the financial and economic aspects of continued cooperation and the prospects open to them. The fight against terrorism is also on the agenda, because if the common enemy is not defeated, economic growth will be slowed down. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have abandoned the role of countries led by the former Metropolis. Freed from the presence of foreign contingents on their territory, they took the lead in the fight against terrorism and the number of successful operations proves the correctness of their decision.
By Siddikou Barry
