The African Union condemns the terrorist attacks in Niger and Mali

Kinshasa, July 21st, 2026 (CPA).- The president of the African Union (AU) Commission has condemned on Tuesday the terrorist attacks targeting the armed forces of Niger and Mali on July 17^th and 18^th, which left several soldiers dead and wounded, have reported  international media.  “I condemn the attack carried out on Friday, July 17^th, against a unit of the Nigerien armed forces on the Bankilare–Tera road in the Tillaberi region, as well as the ambush on July 18^th against a Malian army convoy between Anefis and Gao,” has declared Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, president of the AU Commission. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has expressed to be concerned at the resurgence of terrorist attacks in the Sahel and has called for a strengthened response to this threat, noting that such attacks continue to have severe consequences for defence and security forces as well as for the civilian population.

On behalf of the African Union, he has offered his condolences to the governments and peoples of Niger and Mali, as well as to the families of the missing servicemen, paying tribute to the sacrifice of the soldiers who had given their lives in defence of their countries. The president of the AU Commission has reaffirmed the organisation’s solidarity with the Sahelian states facing a threat that affects the security, stability and development prospects of the entire continent. He has moreover called for a coordinated approach between African countries and their partners, as well as predictable, sustainable and sufficient financial support for African initiatives to combat terrorism. Finally, he has reaffirmed the AU’s readiness to support the countries of the region, whilst respecting their sovereignty and national priorities, through its political, diplomatic and institutional instruments. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has reminded that the fight against terrorism remains a priority for the African Union, in accordance with the 1999 Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, its 2004 Protocol and the organisation’s relevant decisions.