KEY POINTS
- Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger quit ICC jurisdiction.
- Rights groups say armed forces face war crimes claims.
- Sahel leaders shift closer to Russia, spurning the West.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger said they are withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, claiming the tribunal has become a tool of “neo-colonialist repression” rather than an impartial enforcer of global justice.
The military juntas running the three Sahel states said they no longer recognize the ICC’s authority, echoing the rationale they used to justify their recent withdrawal from the West African bloc, ECOWAS.
Sahel juntas reject ICC jurisdiction
The leaders accused the Hague-based court of selectively prosecuting African cases while ignoring abuses elsewhere. They insist their governments will safeguard human rights according to domestic values.
Human rights groups raise fresh concerns
UN experts and watchdogs have alleged that forces in Mali and Burkina Faso, alongside local militias, have carried out war crimes during counterinsurgency campaigns. Militants in the region have also been accused of mass atrocities.
ICC withdrawal deepens Russia alignment
The moves mark a sharper pivot away from Europe and the U.S. toward Russia, which has built security ties with the juntas since they seized power between 2020 and 2023.
