Burkina Faso has announced the formation of a new special military unit called “Azrael”, aimed at strengthening its ability to combat armed groups operating across the Sahel.
The unit consists of 2,400 elite fighters who received advanced, multi-disciplinary training in Russia, Mali, Niger, and Ethiopia, making it a highly capable operational force.
Its primary mission is to carry out intensive military operations against affiliates of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the region, which has witnessed thousands of attacks in recent years.
The establishment of “Azrael” is part of an expanding framework of security cooperation with Burkina Faso’s partners in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — Mali and Niger — reflecting the country’s shift toward strengthened regional and international security partnerships.
