Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announce joint anti-jihadist force

The army chiefs of military-ruled Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced on Wednesday the creation of a joint force to battle long-running jihadist rebellions in their countries. The announcement is the latest bringing closer the three neighbors, who have severed ties with former colonial ruler and traditional security ally France in favor of Russia. Last year they joined diplomatic forces in an Alliance of Sahel States with a view to creating a federation and in January announced they would withdraw from ECOWAS.