Sahel states boost military cooperation after Algeria drone incident

Bamako hosted the first Air Force chiefs' meeting of the Sahel States Alliance (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso) from April 13-17 to strengthen joint defense against security threats. The alliance aims to integrate air forces, share intelligence, and coordinate counterterrorism operations. The talks followed Algeria's downing of a Malian drone, which the SSA called an "act of aggression." On April 15, the three nations' army chiefs met in Ouagadougou to finalize a shared defense strategy.