The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—has executed coordinated aerial operations within Mali in response to a surge of violent attacks linked to al-Qaeda and Tuareg separatist factions, as confirmed by Niger’s government late last week.
Over the preceding weekend, these militant groups launched their most significant offensive in nearly 15 years, seizing control of the critical northern city of Kidal and assassinating Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara.
The AES, formed to counter regional terrorism, maintains a unified military force of 5,000 personnel, expanded to 15,000 in mid-April. Niger’s authorities commended the rapid and decisive counterstrikes carried out by the joint task force in Gao, Menaka, and Kidal following the April 25, 2026, assaults.
regional response to militant escalation
Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, spokesperson for the Azawad Liberation Front (a Tuareg rebel faction), urged Burkina Faso and Niger to refrain from intervening in Mali’s internal conflict shortly after the attacks commenced.
All three AES member nations are governed by military juntas that assumed power through coups between 2020 and 2023. The assaults on Mali’s junta and its alleged allies from Russia have exacerbated an already severe security crisis in the former French colony.
During Camara’s funeral on Thursday, Burkina Faso’s Defence Minister, Célestin Simpore—speaking on behalf of the AES—pledged to pursue the perpetrators of the deadly ambush.
public demonstrations of solidarity
In Niamey, the capital of Niger, approximately 1,000 demonstrators gathered at the Djado Sekou Cultural Center to voice support for Mali. Live social media footage captured crowds chanting slogans such as “down with imperialists,” “down with terrorists and their backers,” and “long live the AES.” A portrait of Camara was prominently displayed during the event.
Effred Mouloul, a spokesperson for the organizing coalition of civil society groups, declared, “To the people of Mali, we affirm: you are not alone. The active forces of Niger and the AES stand with you in full solidarity.” He criticized African leadership for failing to adequately respond to the targeted killings of Mali’s leaders and demanded the expulsion of French military presence from AES territories.
Niger’s government has repeatedly accused France of orchestrating the weekend attacks in Mali, alleging foreign involvement in destabilization efforts—claims that Paris has firmly denied. As a precautionary measure, Niger canceled all May 1st parade events nationwide.
