Mali, Burkina Faso warplanes en route to Niger amidst ECOWAS military threat
By Ngombet Claudia
Mali and Burkina Faso have deployed fighter jets to Niger as a gest of solidarity to the West African country in response to a potential military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
A recent statement aired on Niger’s state television RTN, highlighted joint efforts by the two countries who have turned their words into action through the deployment of warplanes within Niger’s borders.
“Mali and Burkina Faso turned their commitments into concrete action by deploying warplanes to respond to any attack on Niger”, the statement said, while reiterating that the planes were the Super Tucano fighter jets.
The solidarity move from Mali and Burkina Faso follows Friday’s meeting of the ECOWAS Chief of Staff in Accra, Ghana, during which the date of the impending military intervention was declared with the exact date of intervention not disclosed. The bloc is just waiting for orders to take action.
Mali and Burkina Faso had earlier warned that any military action on Niger would be seen as a declaration of war against the two countries.
It should be noted that recruitment of persons from 18 years old into the Volunteers for the Defense of Niger (VDN), a civilian militia is ongoing, to counter potential military intervention by ECOWAS.
While similar recruitment efforts are being done along the Nigerian and Benin borders, a militia group with the same name already exists in Burkina Faso.
