"Joint Security Pact Signed by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso"
The military juntas of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have signed a security pact called the Liptako-Gourma Charter, creating the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The aim of the pact is to establish collective defense and mutual assistance in the face of rebellion, insurgency, or external aggression. The three landlocked Sahel countries, which are struggling with Islamist insurgencies and strained relations with neighbors and international partners due to recent coups, will collaborate on military and economic efforts to combat terrorism. The pact states that any attack on one party will be considered an aggression against the others, and assistance can be provided individually or collectively, including the use of armed force.