New Delhi, August 13

A group of countries in West Africa with abundant mineral wealth have become the latest flashpoint in the tussle between the West and Russia.

Leaders from Niger, which has had the latest coup in West Africa, met with coup leaders of Mali and Burkina Faso to discuss the possibility of a rapid deployment of Wagner forces to the country in case the West-influenced 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) tried to dislodge them by military force.

Mali, where the coup took place in 2021, has expelled the French army fighting an insurgency and has recruited fighters from Russia’s private military company, the Wagner Group, to replace them. Rallies by the ruling military junta’s civilian supporters tend to have a sea of Russian flags.

Burkina Faso, which witnessed a coup in November last year, has also expelled Western military advisors and has recruited the Wagner group. At stake are mines and reserves of critical minerals ranging from cobalt to uranium. Mali and Burkina Faso have warned that any military intervention in Niger would be considered as a declaration of war against them and would lead to their withdrawal from ECOWAS. — TNShttps://ebfcfac21fa40119f38d578060fd11fb.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html

African nations warn against military action

Mali and Burkina Faso have warned that any military intervention in Niger, which has had the latest coup in West Africa, would be considered as a declaration of war against them and would lead to their withdrawal from West-influenced ECOWAS.