The head of an alliance of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger says the launch of a joint battalion “must be followed by large-scale operations in the coming days." Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, left, General Assimi Goïta of Mali, center, and General Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger attend the second summit on security and development in Bamako, Mali, Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025. (Mali Government Information Center via AP) The Associated Press BAMAKO, Mali -- The head of an alliance of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger declared Tuesday that the launch of a joint battalion “must be followed by large-scale operations in the coming days" in a region plagued by deadly extremism. Burkina Faso leader Capt. Ibrahim Traoré gave no details in his comments after being named the new head of the Alliance of Sahel States, whose three military-led members withdrew from West Africa's regional bloc this year. The alliance formed in 2023. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are the most affec...
