Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Withdraw from the International Criminal Court.

On Monday, September 22, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the tribunal of serving as a tool of “neocolonial repression in the hands of imperialism.”

In a joint statement, the military-led governments argued that the ICC had evolved into “a global example of selective justice,” incapable of prosecuting major international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes of aggression.

They stressed that they would instead establish indigenous mechanisms to strengthen peace and justice, echoing a similar stance they took when withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The three nations, all under military rule following coups between 2020 and 2023, have since formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as a regional bloc. They have actively sought to distance themselves from Western powers—particularly former colonial ruler France—while aligning more closely with Russia in matters of military cooperation.

Despite their criticisms of the ICC, the Sahel states remain engulfed in violent insurgencies by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. At the same time, their national armies have faced accusations of committing atrocities against civilians.