Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso plan to expand their joint military forces from 5,000 to 18,000 troops in the coming years, Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tiani announced over the weekend, as the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) moves to dramatically bolster its security capabilities amid a surge in Islamist attacks across the region.
Speaking in an interview with state broadcaster RTN on Saturday, Tiani confirmed that the decision to increase the Unified Force's strength had been taken during the most recent meeting of defence ministers from the three member states. The planned expansion would more than triple the current 5,000-strong contingent.
"We want to reach 18,000 men because we fully measure the scale of the challenges we face," Tiani said, presenting the announcement during a review of the Confederation's first two years of existence.
Operational Track Record
Established in 2025 and headquartered in Niamey, Niger's capital, the Unified Force – known as the FU-AES – brings together troops drawn from the three member states' armed forces. It is designed to integrate air power, intelligence sharing, and coordinated ground operations to confront armed groups that have destabilised large parts of the Sahel for over a decade.
The force was formally inaugurated on 20 December 2025 during a ceremony at an air base in Bamako, Mali's capital, presided over by Mali's Transitional President Assimi Goïta. Burkina Faso's General Daouda Traoré has been appointed as the force's commander.
Tiani confirmed that the Unified Force has already carried out classified operations on the ground. While declining to provide operational details, he noted that "security imperatives impose strict discretion regarding current military plans and operations". Mali's President Goïta previously reported that joint operations had resulted in the neutralisation of several terrorist leaders and the destruction of multiple insurgent sanctuaries.
The force operates under a permanent centralized command structure, ensuring full coordination across land, air, and intelligence components.
Deeper Integration Efforts
Beyond military cooperation, the Confederation of Sahel States is pursuing broader integration across multiple domains. The three nations – all governed by military juntas that seized power in a series of coups between 2020 and 2023 – have already launched a shared passport, a common television network, and are developing a joint bank and airline.
The AES was established in September 2023 with the signing of the Liptako-Gourma Charter, a mutual defence pact. In July 2024, the three countries elevated their partnership to a confederation, marking a significant step toward establishing an economic-military bloc. The following year, they formalised their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), signalling a political and economic rupture with their neighbours.
The three nations have also deepened ties with Moscow, turning to Russia for security assistance after expelling French and US forces from the region.
Persistent Security Threat
The military buildup comes as Islamist insurgencies linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State continue to ravage the central Sahel. Violence has displaced approximately 2.6 million people within the region, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The Unified Force represents the third attempt by central Sahel states to establish a joint security mechanism, following the failure of previous regional initiatives. Tiani drew a pointed comparison with ECOWAS's own military ambitions, noting that the regional bloc had first announced plans for a 30,000-strong force, only to reduce it to 2,000, and then propose that member states each contribute 200 troops who would remain within their own national territories.
"We measure the full extent of the challenges," Tiani said, underscoring the Confederation's determination to build a credible defence capability.
