The president of the Malian transition, Army General Assimi Goïta, recently gave an interview to Malian television, ORTM, on the sidelines of the 2nd Summit of the Confederation of Sahel States.

During this interview, the strongman of Bamako mentioned the threats of military intervention by ECOWAS in Niger in 2023, after the overthrow of the regime of Mohammed Bazoum.

"I told him: 'Try attacking Niger and you'll see what happens next.'"

According to Assimi Goita, the community organization was indeed preparing to attack Abdourahmane Tiani and his men. He cites as proof an exchange he had with a West African counterpart.

“One of the presidents of these countries, who had decided to attack Niger, called me to dissuade me from interfering in this matter. He asked me if we were serious (in stating that we were going to intervene to defend Niger). I told him: 'Try to attack Niger and you will see what happens next.' He said that the decision to attack Niger had already been validated,” revealed Assimi Goita.

For the commander-in-chief of Mali, these remarks clearly demonstrate "how real the threat was."

"My simple reply was: If we let you attack Niger, whose turn will it be next?"

Later in the conversation, his West African counterpart reportedly tried to explain to him "that the situation in Niger was different from that in Mali and Burkina Faso" and that action was needed.

"According to him, if they let President Bazoum remain, whose turn would it be next? I simply replied: If we also let you attack Niger, whose turn would it be next? So, it was fair game. Finally, he came to his senses when he saw that we were truly determined to defend Niger," revealed the Malian transitional president.