Mali — Sahel Jihadist Insurgency
The Mali conflict began with the 2012 Tuareg uprising and subsequent jihadist takeover of northern Mali. French Barkhane operation (2014-2022) failed to defeat JNIM and ISGS. Following the 2021 coup, Mali's military junta expelled French forces and brought in Wagner Group. Violence has spread dramatically into central Mali and across the Sahel belt. In 2023 Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after leaving ECOWAS.
Persistence drivers
Why this conflict persists
The conflict persists due to the structural failure of the Sahel state system, marginalization of Tuareg/Fulani/pastoral communities, jihadist organizations' superior local intelligence networks, gold and smuggling revenues funding JNIM, and the geopolitical vacuum left by French withdrawal now partly filled by Russian Wagner forces who have not improved security outcomes.
Human and economic impact
Displacement, fatalities, and economic pressure
This dossier includes static summary fields plus linked live conflict tables where the export found related rows.
Outlook
Risk and spillover assessment
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