The escalation of terrorism in the Sahel region—as evidenced in late April 2026 by the extensive terrorist offensive launched by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an affiliate of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), against several Malian cities including its capital—fuels a messianic vision for
Terrorism, human trafficking, migration, propaganda: the effects of the Sahel crisis extend far beyond Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Europe can no longer treat this region as an external arena. Bamako, the capital of Mali, is not the only target of the most recent onslaught
Together with the Tuaregs of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), the jihadists of JNIM (“Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen”) are on the rise in Mali, in a remarkable position of power against a weaker military junta, and are closer than ever to taking Bamako, the country’s
On April 25, 2026, a number of military locations, including Kati, the capital Bamako, Modibo-Keïta/Sénou International Airport, Gao, Kidal, Sévaré, and Mopti, were the target of coordinated strikes by the JNIM, the independent Tuareg rebels in Mali. The Malian army claims to have regained control
Twenty-one years after its establishment in 2004, it joined the main Al-Qaeda group in Afghanistan under the moniker “Al-Qaeda in Iraq.” In 2014, due to disagreements between the top Al-Qaeda leadership and the group’s field commanders. [1] After breaking away from Al-Qaeda and establishing itself as a
The countries of Senegal, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, and Eritrea are all part of the huge Sahel area, which stretches 5,600 kilometres from Guinea (Conakry) on the west coast to Sudan on the east coast. This region, home to
When the world’s focus is on Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, there is a tendency to think that everything is calm in Africa in general and the Sahel in particular and that there is no bad news from there. It seems that the countries of
Official circles in Mali’s capital, Bamako, are neither confirming nor disputing the departure of the Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group (P.M.C.) after three and a half years of presence. [1] As is well known, the Mali military junta has always denied that foreign mercenaries are
Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso, accuses imperialist powers of supporting Islamic terrorist groups to maintain their influence in Africa in the face of Russian and Turkish takeovers. In an interview with the Russian media outlet Sputnik, broadcast on Radio Diffusion du Burkina (RTB)
Introduction The challenges associated with the expansion of jihadism in Africa, and especially towards the Gulf of Guinea countries, are formidable. Extremist Islamic terrorism occurs in a number of countries, including Ghana, Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Guinea-Conakry. In several of these nations, there
Introduction Terrorism is a major and immediate threat to parts of the world in general and Africa in particular, which bears the brunt of its consequences every day. Among the regions most affected by radical Islamic terrorism is the Sahel, which has become, over the
Africa remains the epicenter of global terrorism, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for 59% of all terrorism-related deaths worldwide. Terrorism is the most significant threat to peace, security, and sustainable development across the African continent. This trend will worsen in 2025 after the withdrawal of European
Abstract This paper critically examines the escalating issue of violent Islamic extremism in Africa, spotlighting the significant rise in terrorist activities by groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. Drawing on a July 2022 report from the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), it underscores the continent’s transformation
Is Africa the next caliphate? Today, the question is more specific and focused: will the caliphate be established in Mali, where JNIM jihadists have laid siege to the capital, Bamako, and the United States, France, and other Western countries are advising their citizens to leave
The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) is expanding its influence in Mali, endangering the city of Ménaka. The Malian government’s armed forces and al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters are absent in the region. ISGS engages in combat with government forces, killing civilians and displacing settlers from
With the end of both Operation Barkhane and the reduction of the UN mission, MINUSMA, Northern Mali, is at risk of yet another escalation of violence. As International troops draw back from the country, radical groups have started to fight each other. At the same
Summary: In their July 2021 article, Global Jihad in Africa: Risks and Challenges, the authors detailed the spread of Islamic terrorist organizations in Africa—specifically ISIS and al-Qaeda—and highlighted the challenges in contending with them. Their main conclusion was that a joint umbrella/master strategy would be
