Key facts
- Russia and the Sahel states of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso agreed to deepen military cooperation.
- The agreement follows talks in Niamey, Niger, between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his counterparts from the AES.
- Assistance from Russia's paramilitary Africa Corps is included in the strengthened military and military-technical cooperation.
- Russia pledged to continue aiding the armed forces of AES member states and their 'Unified Force'.
- A convoy carrying Malian soldiers and Russian Africa Corps fighters was attacked in northern Mali on Thursday.
- The Al Qaeda affiliate Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) staged attacks on army positions across Mali on Saturday, July 4.
- The FLA claimed responsibility for the attack on the convoy.
Russia and the West African nations forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – have committed to enhancing their military cooperation amid intensifying jihadist insurgent activity. The agreement follows discussions in Niamey, Niger, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his counterparts from the three military-led countries, all of which have recently shifted their alliances away from Western partners towards Moscow for support.
Officials expressed satisfaction with the growing military and military-technical cooperation, which includes aid from Russia's paramilitary Africa Corps, a successor to the Wagner group. Russia affirmed its commitment to bolstering the armed forces of the AES member states and their collective 'Unified Force'.
Recent attacks by the regional al-Qaeda affiliate and a Tuareg-led separatist group have underscored the security challenges in the Sahel. In April, such attacks across Mali resulted in the death of the defense minister, and on Saturday, numerous army posts were targeted. Separately, Lavrov stated Russia is prepared to assist Mozambique in eliminating the 'terrorist threat' in the country's north.
A convoy carrying Malian soldiers and fighters from the Russian paramilitary Africa Corps came under attack in northern Mali on Thursday. The convoy was heading towards the northern town of Anefis, where fighting has persisted since July 4, when it came under fire. The Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. Niger provided air support during the fighting. The FLA and JNIM teamed up for a coordinated, high-profile operation in April that hit the airport in the capital Bamako and killed the defence minister. Africa Corps is backing Mali's military in the fight against insurgencies that have plagued the West African country since 2012.
The joint statement also included unsubstantiated allegations that external state actors, specifically naming Ukraine and France, were involved in the Sahel attacks. Both nations have refuted these claims.