Sahel states hold military drills in Niger

Soldiers from five Sahel states are holding military exercises in Western Niger focusing on counter-terrorism, Niger’s defense minister said.

The drills, to run until June 3, bring together Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Niger and Togo, marking the first exercise between the five countries.

The exercise includes interoperability, tactical maneuvers, and offering health care to citizens.

Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali, some of the most hit nations by the surge of terrorist activity have formed a military alliance.

Groups such as Islamic State (IS) continue to wage a violent campaign in the region, with annual deaths due to terrorist activity growing more than 2,000 percent between 2007 and 2022.

The Sahel now accounts for 43 percent of the world’s terrorism deaths—more than South Asia and the MENA region combined.