Military juntas ruling Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso announced the formation of a joint force to fight jihadist threats in the region, according to the BBC.
This follows talks in the capital of Niger, Niamey.
Niger’s army chief Moussa Salaou Barmou announced that the force would be operational as soon as possible. He did not give details of its size.
The BBC reports that groups linked to both Islamic State and al-Qaeda have killed thousands of people in the region in the past year.
Violence in West Africa’s Sahel region has worsened in recent years despite the military governments’ promises to deal with the decade-long conflict with jihadist groups.
The three countries have all severed ties with France, the former colonial power, which for years had a strong military presence across the Sahel.
The military regimes have strengthened ties with Russia, which has moved in to fill the void.
[Image: https://medium.com/@bacongocisse510/a-rebellion-against-francafrique-niger-af9408c74371]