Sahel Summit: What is the biggest challenge facing the region?
Al Jazeera
Sahel countries launch a joint battalion to fight armed groups as they boost ties with Russia amid rising insecurity.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have announced the launch of a joint military battalion aimed at fighting armed groups across the Sahel, one of Africa’s poorest and most volatile regions.
The initiative was announced at the end of the two-day Alliance of Sahel States (AES) summit in the Malian capital, Bamako, as the three countries struggle to improve the security situation amid rising attacks from separatist groups as well as armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS).
This was the group’s second summit since its formation in 2023.
Here is what you need to know about the summit and whether the joint battalion will help improve the security situation in the three Sahel countries.
They agreed to launch a joint battalion, which is expected to comprise an estimated 5,000 soldiers from the three countries, with a mandate centred on counterterrorism and border security.
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