Three Sahel countries Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have signed a mutual defence pact aiming to help each other against possible threats of armed rebellion or external aggression.

The charter, known as the Alliance of Sahel States, signed binds the signatories to assist one another including militarily in the event of an attack on any one of them.

It says any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties.