The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has condemned the terrorist
attacks of July 17 and 18, 2026, in Niger and Mali, which resulted in the deaths of several soldiers, calling for a strengthened mobilisation against the jihadist threat in the Sahel.
Youssouf, strongly condemned the attacks targeting the armed forces of Niger and Mali on July 17 and 18, 2026, which left several soldiers dead and wounded.
In a statement, the African leader specifically denounced the attack carried out on Friday, July 17, 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 against a Malian army convoy between Anéfis and Gao. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed his concern about the resurgence of attacks in the Sahel, noting that they continue to have a devastating impact on defence and security forces as well as on civilian populations.
On behalf of the African Union, he offered his condolences to the governments and people of Niger and Mali, as well as to the families of the fallen soldiers, paying tribute to the sacrifice of the soldiers engaged in the defence of their countries.
The chairperson of the AU Commission reaffirmed the organisation’s solidarity with the Sahelian states facing a threat that, in his view, affects the security, stability, and development prospects of the entire continent.
He called for a coordinated approach among African countries and their partners, as well as for “predictable, sustainable, and sufficient” financial support for African counter-terrorism initiatives. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf reiterated that the fight against terrorism remains a priority for the African Union, in accordance with the 1999
Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, its 2004 Protocol, and the relevant decisions of the organization.
He further reaffirmed the AU’s readiness to support the countries of the region, while respecting their sovereignty and national priorities, through its political, diplomatic, and institutional instruments.
AC/Sf/fss/as/APA