Agacher Strip War
Encyclopedia
The Agacher Strip is a 100 miles (160.9 km)-long strip of land located in northeastern Burkina Faso
. The area, thought to contain considerable amounts of natural gas and mineral resources, was the center of a long running border dispute between Upper Volta
(renamed Burkina Faso in 1984) and Mali
which erupted into armed conflict on two occasions (1974 and 1985).
Some observers believe that the dispute may have been deliberately provoked to divert attention from domestic problems brought on by the return to military rule in Upper Volta and the growing unpopularity of Moussa Traoré
's military regime in Mali.
of Togo
and President Seyni Kountché
of Niger
to resolve the conflict were unsuccessful and sporadic clashes continued into early 1975. As tensions escalated, numerous reprisals against Malians in Upper Volta were reported. This prompted the Organization of African Unity to create a commission to mediate the crisis. The mediators recommended that a neutral technical commission be set up to demarcate the boundary. At a meeting held on 18 June 1975 in Lomé, Togo, both sides accepted the proposal.
From 1977, Upper Volta and Mali engaged in political mediation within a regional West African group known as the Non-Aggression and Defense Aid Agreement (ANAD).
determined to solve every issue including this territorial issue. The relations between the two countries were already deteriorated when Drissa Keita, a Malian diplomat in Burkina Faso, was expelled. The two presidents, Thomas Sankara
and Moussa Traoré
, also had strained relations for a while. Meetings between the high diplomats of both countries to discuss the territorial issue failed and radicalism started to grow. Some Burkina Faso newspapers attacked Mali and accused Mali of preparing an invasion. Mali rejected those accusations and accused Burkina Faso of escalating tensions. By 1985, both countries had experienced several years of drought. The rain finally came in late 1985, but it washed out roads and hindered distribution of food and medical supplies to the region. During this period, the Burkinabé government organized a nationwide census
. The census agents visited some Fula
camps in Mali which provoked outrage from the Malian government who saw it as a violation of sovereignty. There were reports of Burkina Faso ground attacks on part of the Agacher Strip since the new Burkina government considered the territory as theirs and since there was no formal contact with the Mali government. Mali President, Moussa Traoré
publicly denounced the act and for ten days asked the African leaders to pressure Sankara. However, the Burkinabé didn't leave the area and tensions grew further.
On 25 December 1985, the Malian military
launched several local ground attacks against Burkinabé border posts and police stations. The Burkinabé army mobilized soldiers to the region and launched counterattacks. However, the Malian army proved to be more prepared and better organized with successful attacks and several bombardment
s. The Malian military
seized the villages and attacked further. The Burkinabé reacted, but they suffered more loss. The Libya
n government attempted to negotiate a cease-fire on 26 December, but this failed and fighting continued. The war culminated in a strike by the Malian air force against a marketplace in Ouahigouya
, in which a number of civilians were killed. A second cease-fire initiated by the governments of Nigeria
and Libya on 29 December also failed. An ANAD-sponsored truce signed on 30 December held, bringing to an end what became known as the "Christmas War". Estimates of the number of people killed in the five-day war ranged from 59 to 300.
, Côte d'Ivoire
, Presidents Moussa Traoré of Mali and Thomas Sankara
of Burkina Faso agreed to withdraw their troops to pre-war positions. Prisoners of War were exchanged in February and full diplomatic relations were restored in June. Despite these positive signs, however, the dispute remained unsolved. The case was taken to the International Court of Justice
.
In its judgement delivered on 22 December 1986, the court split the 1150 square miles (2,978.5 km²) of disputed territory almost equally. Mali received the western portion and Burkina Faso the east. President Traoré called the settlement "very satisfying" and a victory for the "brother peoples" of Mali and Burkina Faso.
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. The area, thought to contain considerable amounts of natural gas and mineral resources, was the center of a long running border dispute between Upper Volta
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
(renamed Burkina Faso in 1984) and Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
which erupted into armed conflict on two occasions (1974 and 1985).
Reasons behind the conflict
The area was thought to contain substantial natural resources. Both sides hoped that the exploitation of these resources would help improve the dire economic situations in their respective countries.Some observers believe that the dispute may have been deliberately provoked to divert attention from domestic problems brought on by the return to military rule in Upper Volta and the growing unpopularity of Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
's military regime in Mali.
The First "War" (1974)
The dispute erupted into armed conflict for the first time on 25 November 1974. The conflict was characterized by a lack of military operations or any significant fighting. Only a few border skirmishes that involved exchanges of small arms fire were reported in late November and mid-December. Casualties on both sides were minimal.Regional mediation
Mediation efforts by President Gnassingbé EyadémaGnassingbé Eyadéma
General Gnassingbé Eyadéma , was the President of Togo from 1967 until his death in 2005. He participated in two successful military coups, in January 1963 and January 1967, and became President on April 14, 1967...
of Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
and President Seyni Kountché
Seyni Kountché
Seyni Kountché was a Nigerien military officer who led a 1974 coup d'état that deposed the government of Niger's first president, Hamani Diori. He ruled the country as military head of state from 1974 to 1987...
of Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
to resolve the conflict were unsuccessful and sporadic clashes continued into early 1975. As tensions escalated, numerous reprisals against Malians in Upper Volta were reported. This prompted the Organization of African Unity to create a commission to mediate the crisis. The mediators recommended that a neutral technical commission be set up to demarcate the boundary. At a meeting held on 18 June 1975 in Lomé, Togo, both sides accepted the proposal.
From 1977, Upper Volta and Mali engaged in political mediation within a regional West African group known as the Non-Aggression and Defense Aid Agreement (ANAD).
Agacher "Christmas" War (1985)
The revolution in Burkina Faso in 1982 brought a new regime with the young Thomas SankaraThomas Sankara
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was a Burkinabé military captain, Marxist revolutionary, Pan-Africanist theorist, and President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987...
determined to solve every issue including this territorial issue. The relations between the two countries were already deteriorated when Drissa Keita, a Malian diplomat in Burkina Faso, was expelled. The two presidents, Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was a Burkinabé military captain, Marxist revolutionary, Pan-Africanist theorist, and President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987...
and Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
, also had strained relations for a while. Meetings between the high diplomats of both countries to discuss the territorial issue failed and radicalism started to grow. Some Burkina Faso newspapers attacked Mali and accused Mali of preparing an invasion. Mali rejected those accusations and accused Burkina Faso of escalating tensions. By 1985, both countries had experienced several years of drought. The rain finally came in late 1985, but it washed out roads and hindered distribution of food and medical supplies to the region. During this period, the Burkinabé government organized a nationwide census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. The census agents visited some Fula
Fula people
Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa...
camps in Mali which provoked outrage from the Malian government who saw it as a violation of sovereignty. There were reports of Burkina Faso ground attacks on part of the Agacher Strip since the new Burkina government considered the territory as theirs and since there was no formal contact with the Mali government. Mali President, Moussa Traoré
Moussa Traoré
General Moussa Traoré is a Malian soldier and politician. As a Lieutenant, he led the military ouster of President Modibo Keïta in 1968. Thereafter he served as Head of State from 1968-1979, and President of Mali from 1979 to 1991, when he was overthrown by popular protests and military coup...
publicly denounced the act and for ten days asked the African leaders to pressure Sankara. However, the Burkinabé didn't leave the area and tensions grew further.
On 25 December 1985, the Malian military
Military of Mali
Mali's armed forces are the Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, and National Police . They number some 7,000 and are under the control of the Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans. The IISS Military Balance 2009 lists an Army of 7,350, Air Force of 400, and Navy of 50...
launched several local ground attacks against Burkinabé border posts and police stations. The Burkinabé army mobilized soldiers to the region and launched counterattacks. However, the Malian army proved to be more prepared and better organized with successful attacks and several bombardment
Bombardment
A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings.Prior to World War I the term term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings, it was only loosely employed to describe artillery...
s. The Malian military
Military of Mali
Mali's armed forces are the Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, and National Police . They number some 7,000 and are under the control of the Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans. The IISS Military Balance 2009 lists an Army of 7,350, Air Force of 400, and Navy of 50...
seized the villages and attacked further. The Burkinabé reacted, but they suffered more loss. The Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n government attempted to negotiate a cease-fire on 26 December, but this failed and fighting continued. The war culminated in a strike by the Malian air force against a marketplace in Ouahigouya
Ouahigouya
Ouahigouya is the most important town in northern Burkina Faso. It is the capital of the Yatenga Province and one of its subdivisions the Ouahigouya Department. It is also the biggest town in the Nord Region. It is the third largest city in the country with a population of 122,677. It is situated ...
, in which a number of civilians were killed. A second cease-fire initiated by the governments of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
and Libya on 29 December also failed. An ANAD-sponsored truce signed on 30 December held, bringing to an end what became known as the "Christmas War". Estimates of the number of people killed in the five-day war ranged from 59 to 300.
Post war
In mid-January 1986, at an ANAD summit in YamoussoukroYamoussoukro
The District of Yamoussoukro is the official political capital and administrative capital city of Côte d'Ivoire, while the economic capital of the country is Abidjan. As of 2010, it was estimated to have 242,744 inhabitants...
, Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
, Presidents Moussa Traoré of Mali and Thomas Sankara
Thomas Sankara
Thomas Isidore Noël Sankara was a Burkinabé military captain, Marxist revolutionary, Pan-Africanist theorist, and President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987...
of Burkina Faso agreed to withdraw their troops to pre-war positions. Prisoners of War were exchanged in February and full diplomatic relations were restored in June. Despite these positive signs, however, the dispute remained unsolved. The case was taken to the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
.
In its judgement delivered on 22 December 1986, the court split the 1150 square miles (2,978.5 km²) of disputed territory almost equally. Mali received the western portion and Burkina Faso the east. President Traoré called the settlement "very satisfying" and a victory for the "brother peoples" of Mali and Burkina Faso.