Members of the G5 Sahel forces have dismantled an extremist network in the border zone of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

They discovered the network through informants.

The G5 Sahel forces said in a statement on September 12 that they had been informed about nine suspicious individuals who were seen with several heads of large cattle – thought to have been stolen – that they had brought to sell at the weekly market in the village of Baley Koira, 30km from Wanzarbé in the Tillabéri Region.

A raid by the G5 Sahel forces on the market resulted in the arrest on the nine people. They also were able to recover 18 large cattle that had been stolen and new motorcycles.

On September 15, based on information from the public, the G5 Sahel forces stationed in Wanzarbé captured a man known to be a spy at the weekly market in Yatakala town, 3km north of Wanzarbé.

The forces handed over 10 people to the Nigerien Anti-Terrorism Agency for interrogation.

A commander of the forces praised the informants, whom, he said, were working well with the soldiers in the common interest in the fight against extremists in the G5 Sahel region.

Malam Idrissa Maiga, the leader of the Tillabéri State Civil Rights Group, praised the troops and the public, saying he it was satisfying to see an increase in social cohesion.