Russia and the Alliance of Sahel States, comprising Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, have pledged to strengthen military cooperation as jihadist insurgents gain ground in the region.
Military Cooperation
A joint statement issued after talks in Niger’s capital, Niamey, welcomed growing military and military-technical cooperation, including assistance from Russia’s paramilitary Africa Corps.
Russia confirmed its intention to continue helping to strengthen the armed forces of the AES member states and their Unified Force.
In April, the regional al Qaeda affiliate and a Tuareg-led separatist group staged attacks across Mali, killing the defense minister.
The statement alleged, without evidence, that external state actors, including Ukraine and France, were involved in attacks in the region, which both countries have denied.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
