The geopolitical and security landscape across the Sahel-Saharan belt is experiencing heightened tension. With the Burkinabè authorities tightening their grip on internal officials and a Nigerien rebel faction vowing a fresh offensive against Niamey, the leading military administrations within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) appear to be confronting intensifying strains. These distinct yet interconnected developments underscore a critical reality: military governments must now contend with both external security challenges and inherent internal fragilities.
Burkina Faso: consolidating control over the state apparatus
In Ouagadougou, a pervasive sense of distrust has taken root. Multiple credible accounts indicate that the military government has enacted a stringent measure: the confiscation of passports belonging to members of the cabinet.
This unprecedented restriction extends beyond ministers, encompassing several high-ranking military officers. This signals that surveillance and control are now being applied even within the uppermost echelons of power.
By preventing certain key figures from freely departing the country, the regime seemingly aims to mitigate any potential for abrupt exits, the leakage of sensitive intelligence, or unauthorized engagement with foreign entities. Such a measure is rarely inconsequential in a charged political climate; it typically signifies a desire for reinforced oversight over the ruling elite when confidence begins to erode.
This decision emerges as Burkina Faso grapples with persistent insecurity across a substantial portion of its territory. Despite numerous military operations and extensive deployment of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP), jihadist attacks continue to target both security forces and civilian populations. This unyielding security pressure exacerbates internal tensions at the highest levels of government, fortifying the authorities’ resolve to secure all decision-making centers.
For many observers, these restrictions also highlight the inherent difficulty military regimes face in sustaining enduring cohesion within their own structures. As power becomes increasingly concentrated in fewer hands, the strategic imperative of preventing internal divisions, rivalries, or defections becomes paramount.
Niger: FPL announces new offensive against the Tiani junta
In Niger, the opposition has taken on a distinctly more militarized character.
Barely a month following his release on June 22, 2026, Mohamed Salah, Secretary General of the Patriotic Front for Liberation (FPL), has re-emerged with a notably combative declaration.
It is recalled that the rebel leader was freed by forces loyal to Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Libya as part of a highly sensitive hostage exchange. In return, Nigerien authorities had released Barkadine Mahamat Rifi, a leader of the Libyan ‘Ahrar Fazzan’ katiba, who was sought by Haftar’s forces.
Emboldened by his liberation, Mohamed Salah now asserts that he is preparing a
