The tri-nation anti-terror force of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali executed high-intensity airstrikes within Malian borders in response to coordinated assaults by al-Qaeda-linked militants and Tuareg separatists, announced Niger’s government late Thursday.
Over the weekend, the largest coordinated offensive in Mali’s recent history unfolded, resulting in the capture of Kidal—a strategic northern city—and the tragic killing of Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara.
The three nations, members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), established a unified counter-terrorism force initially comprising 5,000 soldiers, later expanded to 15,000 in mid-April to combat escalating insurgencies.
Niger’s authorities issued a statement praising the “swift and robust response” of the joint force, noting that aerial operations were launched within hours of the April 25, 2026 attacks on Gao, Menaka and Kidal.
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front—a Tuareg rebel group—publicly urged Burkina Faso and Niger to “refrain from interfering” in Mali’s internal conflict following the offensive.
All three AES member states are governed by military-led administrations that assumed power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
The coordinated strikes against Mali’s military leadership and its Russian-backed paramilitary allies have intensified the former French colony’s ongoing security emergency.
During Camara’s funeral on Thursday, Burkina Faso’s Defence Minister Celestin Simpore, speaking on behalf of the AES, pledged to “pursue and eliminate” the “perpetrators of this heinous act.”
public demonstrations of support
In Niamey, Niger’s capital, approximately 1,000 citizens gathered at the Djado Sekou Cultural Center to voice solidarity with Mali, according to social media broadcasts.
Attendees chanted slogans including “down with imperialists,” “down with terrorists and their backers,” and “long live the AES,” while displaying a portrait of Camara.
Effred Mouloul, a representative of the organizing civil society coalition, addressed the crowd, affirming, “To the people of Mali, we say: ‘You are not alone. The active forces of Niger and the AES stand firmly with you in solidarity.’”
He condemned the “total absence of meaningful solidarity” following the targeted killings of Mali’s leaders and demanded the immediate withdrawal of French military presence from AES territories.
Niger’s government has repeatedly accused France of orchestrating the weekend attacks in Mali, a claim Paris has consistently denied. As a precautionary measure, Niger has canceled all May 1 military parades nationwide.