CSS Military Leaders Meet Traoré, Prepare for Joint Antiterrorism Operation

The Confederation of Sahel States (CSS) is stepping up its fight against terrorism as its joint military force prepares for a new offensive across the region. On Tuesday, the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, met with the Chiefs of Defence Staff from CSS member states, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, in Ouagadougou. The purpose of the meeting was to review progress and coordinate the next phase of operations.

The CSS unified force is central to the bloc’s strategy to restore peace and stability in the Sahel. It was established in response to increasing attacks by terrorist groups. Armed factions linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State have killed thousands, displaced millions, and disrupted economic activities across the region.

Following the meeting, Mali’s Chief of General Staff, Major General Oumar Diarra, who also chairs the CSS military committee, expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

We are leaving this meeting energised by the President’s guidance. Each time we meet with our political leaders, it boosts our morale and strengthens our resolve to move forward with the CSS joint force, he said.

The discussions covered key topics, including the additional protocol guiding the force, evaluations of recent joint operations, and plans for upcoming missions.

Operations Yéréko 1 and Yéréko 2, conducted in the tri-border area between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, were reviewed in detail. According to CSS officials, these operations dismantled terrorist bases and reclaimed strategic territories.

General Diarra stated that the CSS force is becoming more capable and better coordinated. At the same time, air force chiefs from the three countries held a separate meeting in Bamako, Mali. Their focus was on enhancing airspace defence by improving coordination of air assets, surveillance, and precision strikes. The combined efforts on land and in the air are designed to limit the movement of terrorist groups and increase pressure on their operations.

The CSS was formed in 2023 after the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The bloc has since taken a more self-reliant approach to regional security.

Read More:

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