European Union supports fight against terrorism in Niger with military assistance
Saturday 19/January/2019 - 01:14 PM
Nahla Abdel Moneim
Niger launched a new counter-terrorism security apparatus, called the GARSI,
following EU assistance to the state. The European Union provided the Niger
with military and logistical equipment for the rapid intervention group,
supplying it with weapons, armored vehicles, equipped vehicles, motorcycles,
ambulances, unmanned aerial vehicles and tents.
GARSI consists of a large number of non-commissioned officers and soldiers from
the National Gendarmerie and will be responsible for combating organized crime,
preventing terrorist attacks in the country, preventing infiltration of
terrorists across borders and securing borders with other countries where
extremist groups are deployed.
In the same context, the European Union has granted multiple military assistance
to the Armed Forces of Niger; in addition to weapons and ammunition worth over
3.5 million euros.
The inauguration ceremony of the new group was attended by representatives of
the European Union, Niger's Minister of Defense, Kala Motari, and Supreme Commander
of the National Council of the Nigerian Gendarmerie, Colonel Salifou Waxo.
The leaders of the Sahel Group G5 (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and
Mauritania) agreed at a meeting in N'Djamena, Chad, three years ago to
establish the force in all Sahel countries to strengthen the fight against
terrorism in the country.
The geographic map of Niger is deepened by its suffering from terrorism and
extremism. It is bordered on the north by the Libyan state, which has been
weakened by terrorist groups driven by the international forces. Nigeria is on
its border and is entangled with the criminal group Boko Haram and its criminal
operations.
