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FORGOTTEN HISTORY: Jnim - The Untold Story

AI deepfakes and fake fighters reshape Mali's information war

Mali's warring sides are increasingly using artificial intelligence to fight an information war alongside their battle on the ground, a study published Wednesday has found. Jihadists are experimenting with relatively basic AI propaganda, separatist networks are creating fake online characters and Russia's Africa Corps is using the technology on a…

Radio France Internationale

Generative AI a new tool in Mali's information war: study

Generative AI is increasingly used for information warfare in Mali, according to a study released Wednesday, with the conflict's factions mastering the technology to varying degrees. While JNIM's use appears "still limited", its media arm Az-Zallaqa did release AI-generated posters in June 2026.

The Economic Times

JNIM jihadists step up incursions into northern Benin

Al Qaeda affiliate JNIM has been intensifying its activities in Benin since 2022. The country serves as a transit corridor between the areas of operation of the group, which is well established in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Two nature reserves have become logistical hubs for the jihadist fighters. Benin's…

France 24

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Niger’s failed coup is a warning to the Sahel’s military rulers: those with power must keep their promises

Niger’s military regime, led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, faced its most significant challenge on 29 August 2026 since coming to power in 2023. For several hours, soldiers clashed with forces loyal to the junta across the capital, Niamey, in an apparent attempt to seize power. The situation then stabilised and…

The Conversation

Niger junta says it is back in control after soldiers' mutiny rocks capital

Niger's junta said Saturday it was back in control after mutineers held soldiers hostage at a military base next to the capital's airport. Russian forces reportedly helped members of Niger's presidential guard recapture the air base, killing some of the mutineers, according to diplomatic and security sources.

France 24

Mali separatists release 82 soldiers, including some held since a major attack in April

Separatists in northern Mali have released 82 soldiers, including some captured during a nationwide attack on government forces in April

The Independent UK

Sahel: How this African region became the hub of global jihad

For two decades, the world's war on jihadism has been told through the ruins of Kabul, the streets of Mosul and the deserts of Syria.

The Times of India

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Rights group says Russia-linked airstrike in Mali killed 8 civilians last month

Human Rights Watch says Russian-controlled aircraft killed eight civilians in an airstrike in central Mali last month

The Independent UK

What to know about the conflict in Mali and the world’s most terrorized region

Mali is facing its most serious security crisis in years as al-Qaida-linked militants and separatist rebels join forces to intensify attacks against the military

The Independent UK

Trump considers military strikes in Mali, US plans to target al-Qaida-linked JNIM

The Trump administration is considering military strikes in Mali targeting Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaida-linked militant group, according to current and former US officials cited by The Washington Post.

The Times of India

Trump considers military strikes in Mali — which would be the 8th country he’s attacked this term

The administration is reportedly mulling a campaign against al-Qaeda-linked JNIM in the junta-controlled country

The Independent UK

Mali rebels ambush an army convoy, killing or capturing scores of soldiers

Jihadi militants and a separatist group ambushed a Malian army convoy in the north, resulting in the killing or capture of scores of soldiers

The Independent UK

Malian army convoy ambushed by rebels north of Gao

A Malian army convoy was ambushed by rebels in a remote part of the northern Gao region, the Malian military confirmed Saturday. Regional al Qaeda affiliate JNIM and the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) claimed responsibility for the attack in separate statements that cited "great human losses".

France 24

Mali's military says it's broken a rebel blockade around a strategic northern base

Mali’s military says it has broken a rebel blockade around a strategic army base in the north as the junta battles a renewed offensive by separatists and al-Qaida-linked militants

The Independent UK

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Radio France Internationale

Rebels seize key town of Anéfis as they tighten grip on northern Mali

Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda affiliates appear to have secured control of a key town in northern Mali following a coordinated offensive by the rebels over the weekend. The Malian army and Russian mercenaries have been holed up in the key camp of Anéfis after the rebels launched their offensive on…

France 24

Could Islamist fighters take Timbuktu?

Mali's military junta is facing one of its most serious security challenges in months. A wave of coordinated attacks by the jihadist group JNIM and its Tuareg ally, the FLA, has targeted army positions across the north of the country, raising fresh questions about the government's ability to contain the…

Radio France Internationale

Insurgents attack multiple towns in northern and central Mali, army says

Jihadists and their separatist Tuareg-led allies have hit northern Mali, where government troops and Russian paramilitary forces are based, with fresh coordinated attacks – striking several towns and a prison, according to the army, residents and security sources.

France 24

Unprecedented images show how Russia is using drones from the war in Ukraine in Africa

Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which has replaced the well-known Wagner Group in providing support to the Malian army, are deploying new combat drones in Mali. Frequently found on the frontlines in Ukraine, these drones are now entering the Sahel region – an environment for which they were not…

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Radio France Internationale

Mali's war on civilians deepens as alliances shift, HRW says

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the army, allied militias and Islamist armed groups have all committed abuses with impunity since the attacks in northern Mali in April.

France 24

All warring parties in Mali committed 'grave abuses' against civilians, report says

Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists, the Malian army and its Russian allies have all committed "grave abuses" against civilians during and after the April attacks that rocked the West African country, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Monday.

The Independent UK

Brazen attack on Niger’s airport shows jihadis are expanding to cities in Africa's Sahel

Gunfire and explosions at Niger’s main international airport highlight a shift in militant strategy in Africa’s Sahel region

Radio France Internationale

Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM militants claim deadly attack on Niger airport

West Africa's al-Qaeda affiliate, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims, has claimed responsibility for an attack on Niger's main airport and a nearby military airbase in the capital Niamey, which the government said killed at least 11 soldiers and two civilians.

The Economic Times

Niger airport attack kills 13, Al Qaeda-linked militants claim responsibility

Niger's capital Niamey faced a significant attack on its airport and military airbase. Al Qaeda's West Africa affiliate, JNIM, claimed responsibility for the assault. The government reported 11 security personnel and two civilians died. Security forces repelled the attackers, arresting several and seizing weapons. This incident highlights ongoing regional insecurity…

The Independent UK

Malian authorities arrest 2 prominent journalists in latest crackdown on freedom of expression

Malian authorities have arrested two prominent journalists, marking the latest crackdown on freedom of expression by the country's military leadership

Radio France Internationale

Mali junta puts €3m bounty on Sahel al-Qaeda leader Ag Ghali

Mali's military government has offered a €3 million reward for information that leads to the arrest or killing of Iyad Ag Ghali, head of the Sahel branch of al-Qaeda that launched a major offensive in April.

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