Could US airstrikes stop insurgency in Mali?
US President Donald Trump is considering airstrikes against the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM in Mali, according to multiple reports. Analysts say such attacks might weaken the jihadists
US President Donald Trump is considering airstrikes against the Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM in Mali, according to multiple reports. Analysts say such attacks might weaken the jihadists but would not address the core issues. For years,Mali has struggled to contain a growing jihadist insurgency, particularly in the country's northern region. Following the withdrawal of French troops and despite the authorities' close cooperation with Russia, theal-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) continues to expand its influence. Now, a new actor could enter the conflict: the United States (US). Founded in 2017, JNIM unites several Islamist groups under the banner of al-Qaeda. Over the past years, the organization has developed into the most powerful jihadist force in the Sahel. Its objective is the establishment of an Islamist order and the displacement of state structures as well as Western influence. "We are no longer talking about a group that only carries out isolated attacks," explains Tobias Rüttershof, head of the Sahel Program of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), which is affiliated with Germany's CDU party and has an office in Mali, in an interview with DW. "In many regions, JNIM effectively controls the security situation, collects taxes, mediates local conflicts and in some areas is more present than the Malian state." Why the US is considering attacking JNIM According to the US Counterterrorism Center, JNIM was responsible for more than 1,200 deaths in 2025, making it the second-deadliest terrorist organization in the world. Particularly concerning is the group's geographic expansion: JNIM is now active not only in Burkina Faso and Niger, but increasingly in the coastal states of West Africa.
The US government is divided over the question of direct military strikes. Supporters such as Sebastian Gorka, Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the Security Council, argue that JNIM is one of the world's most dangerous jihadist organizations and that its advance must be halted. Mali turns to Russia as jihadists choke fuel supply To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Russia's security strategy in Mali has so far failed to deliver results, according to Rüttershof. "After the withdrawal of French forces, the UN mission MINUSMA, and European training missions, Mali's military government argued that Russia could stabilize the security situation more effectively," Gorka told DW. "That expectation has not been fulfilled so far. On the contrary, JNIM appears stronger today than it was several years ago," he added. Following military coups in 2020 and 2021, Bamako increasingly distanced itself from Western partners and expanded cooperation with Russia. Mali's lukewarm reaction to US potential airstrikes against jihadists The Malian government has responded cautiously to reports of possible US airstrikes. "We have received absolutely no confirmation from the United States," Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said. "But I can assure you that Mali is not simply sitting and waiting for others to come and solve our problem." Mali, he said, is relying on its own security forces and on preserving its sovereignty. Mali's Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop says Mali is not sitting idly but actively fighting the insurgents Image: Aboubacar Traore/REUTERS Public opinion is also divided. One resident of Bamako told DW: "Anything that ultimately brings us peace, throughout the entire territory of the country, is welcome." Another resident pointed to the close cooperation with Russia: "Russian forces are already present on our soil, and now the Americans also want to come.
The BriefWire