Sahel Alliance Countries Conduct Military Exercise in Niger
A "large-scale" military exercise involving the armies of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Togo has been underway since the beginning of the week in western Niger, the Nigerien defense ministry announced on Thursday.
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Mundo Níger
In the region, near the border with Mali, with a strong presence of extremist Islamic groups, a "large-scale national exercise at the special forces training center" in Tillia has been underway since Monday, the ministry said in a press release.
The exercise, which is the result of a "military partnership between Niger and friendly countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Chad", includes "tactical maneuvers" and "initiatives to strengthen ties with the local population", the ministry explained.
These are the first joint military maneuvers of this kind between the five countries, all of which are facing varying degrees of violence from extremist Islamic armed groups.
Togo is one of the West African countries that has adopted a more conciliatory tone with the military regimes that came to power through coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Earlier this year, these three countries left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to form their own organization, the Sahel States Alliance (SSA), and announced the creation of a joint military force in March.
Turning their backs on their traditional partners, notably France, the former colonial power, this group of countries has strengthened its ties with Russia.
The exercise, which ends on June 3, is being held "with the aim of strengthening the operational capacities" and "the resilience of the SSA armed forces in the face of potential threats", the ministry explained.
The Tillia Special Forces Training Center, which is hosting the exercise, was funded by Germany and has been operational since July 2021, near the border with Mali, the scene of recurring and deadly attacks by groups affiliated with the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
It was in this same Tillia region that 141 civilians were massacred on March 21, 2021 by suspected extremists in several attacks on several villages.
In September 2022, the United States provided the Tillia Center with $13 million (12 million euros) worth of military equipment, consisting mainly of various types of vehicles, including armored vehicles.
Since then, Niger, where a military regime took power in July 2023, has denounced military agreements with Washington and demanded that US troops leave the country by September 15.
Read Also: Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger with 7.5 million in severe food insecurity (Portuguese version)
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