The Sahel States Alliance (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, has strongly rejected a six-month deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their withdrawal from the organization.
In a joint statement reported by Studio Tamani radio, the AES denounced the ECOWAS decision as unilateral and accused France, with the support of certain regional leaders, of orchestrating destabilization efforts.
The alliance expressed surprise at the deadline, stating that it undermined the prospect of a coordinated approach to the withdrawal process.
The AES further criticized ECOWAS, alleging that a “handful of heads of state” are advancing foreign agendas to counter the alliance’s “emancipatory dynamic.”
In response, the AES has placed its defense and security forces on maximum alert and declared its confederal territory as a unified theater for military operations.
The alliance also called on its citizens to remain vigilant amid these developments.