The military leaders of three West African countries – Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – signed a mutual defense pact deal over the weekend.

The junta leaders signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter, establishing the Alliance of Sahel States. The pact is named after the region where the three country’s borders meet.

Col. Assimi Goita, Mali’s junta leader, said in a statement, “I signed today with the heads of state of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma Charter, establishing the Alliance of Sahel States with the objective of establishing an architecture of collective defense and assistance mutual for the benefit of our populations.”

The new pact calls for the three neighboring countries to come to the defense of each other. 

All three are facing threats from jihadists.

Each of the countries has undergone coups since 2020.
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