OUAGADOUGOU, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has expressed its total, unconditional and fraternal solidarity with the Malian people following terrorist attacks targeting several sites in Mali.
In a statement issued Sunday evening, the acting chair of the AES Conference, Ibrahim Traore, who is also president of Burkina Faso, paid "vibrant tribute to the extraordinary courage" with which the Malian army "repelled this barbaric aggression, neutralizing these individuals from another age, acting on behalf of forces driven by a clear intention to undermine its sovereign vision."
Traore extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
"The coordination of the attacks, the targets chosen, the forces involved, as well as the logistics and weapons used clearly show that these were long-planned operations aimed at inflicting heavy losses on the defense and security forces and spreading terror among innocent civilian populations of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States, particularly in Mali," the statement said.
The AES "expresses its gratitude to all states and partners who, in a spirit of solidarity, have shown their support for the Malian people and once again demonstrated their commitment to standing alongside the states and peoples of the Sahel," it added.
Malian Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed in an attack on his residence in the town of Kati, near the capital Bamako, according to sources.
The AES, grouping Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, was established in September 2023.
On July 6, 2024, the three countries announced the creation of the Confederation of the AES, marking a major step toward establishing an economic-military bloc. ■