Sahel: Niger and Mali accuse neighbours of backing terrorism

As the Sahel’s fight against Islamist terrorism intensifies, Mali and Niger have accused neighbouring countries of backing terrorism, according to Africa News via AP on April 22nd.

Speaking at a security forum in Senegal, Abdoulaye Diop, Mali’s Foreign Minister, stated that some neighbouring states were “harbouring” and “supporting” terrorist groups operating in the Sahel.

These claims were echoed by Bakary Yaou Sangaré, Niger’s Foreign Minister, who accused countries of “fuelling and sustaining” terrorism.

While neither minister named the countries, Niger has previously implicated France and its “West African lackeys”, namely the Ivory Coast and Benin, of supporting terrorism to destabilise the Sahel.

Niger’s junta, without evidence, accused France, the Ivory Coast and Benin of supporting an attack on Niamey’s Hamani International Airport on January 29th, despite the Islamic State claiming responsibility for the attack.

Alongside Burkina Faso, both countries are former French colonies that have cut ties with Western powers in recent years; they are junta-led founding members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The AES seeks to counter jihadist violence through shared military and communication resources in a region struggling to contain Islamist insurgencies.

In March, West African states from ECOWAS announced plans for a counterterrorism task force to address growing violence from groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Although the AES withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024, the bloc has encouraged the countries to cooperate with the proposed task force because Islamist terrorism is primarily concentrated in the Sahel.

Data from the Global Terrorism Index indicated that the Sahel accounted for nearly half of all terror-related deaths in 2025.

Jihadists are particularly active in Niger’s southwestern Tillabéri region, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso.

Mali’s internal strife is also tied to its fights against Tuareg separatists in the north, who have waged war against the government since their latest uprising began in 2012.

In an effort to maintain control, Mali and Niger have sought support from Russian mercenaries to help counter growing instability.

Russian mercenaries are controversial, as members of the Russian Africa Corps and Wagner Group have been accused of perpetrating human rights abuses, including sexual violence and murder.

The International Criminal Court was asked, in June 2025, to investigate alleged war crimes by Russian fighters in Africa, particularly in Mali.

Maghrebi has contacted the Malian and Nigerien Foreign Ministries regarding these reports, but has not received a response at the time of publication.

Africa News via AP, Maghrebi.org