Mali and Burkina Faso announced late Tuesday that they would ban United States citizens from entering their countries, in retaliation for the U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to bar Malian and Burkinabe citizens from entering the United States.

The announcements, made in separate statements by the foreign ministers of the two West African nations, add a new twist to the tense relationship between the region’s military governments and the U.S.

On Dec. 16, Trump expanded earlier travel restrictions to 20 more countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all run by juntas that have broken away from the Economic Community of West African States.

“In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation informs the national and international community that, with immediate effect, the Government of the Republic of Mali will apply the same conditions and requirements to US nationals as those imposed on Malian citizens,” the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

A similar statement from Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, cited the same reasons for banning American nationals from entering Burkina Faso.

The White House said persistent attacks by armed groups were among the reasons for the travel ban. Both Mali and Burkina Faso have struggled to contain armed groups that have spread rapidly across their territories.

The military juntas vowed to fight the groups after overthrowing civilian governments due to rising insecurity in the region. (ABC News)

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