In West Africa, militants linked to Al-Qaeda launched a wave of major attacks on cities across Mali on Saturday, marking a significant escalation of the long-running insurgency that has destabilized the Sahel region.
According to The New York Times, the attacks — carried out by the group known as JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) — targeted multiple urban centers, including areas near the capital, Bamako. The coordinated nature of the offensive signals a concerning new level of capability for the jihadist alliance, which has been expanding its reach as Mali’s military junta has struggled to maintain security following the departure of French and UN forces.
The attacks underscore a worsening security vacuum across the Sahel, where several countries have experienced coups and turned away from Western partners in favor of alliances with Russia’s Wagner Group and other actors.
