Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has intensified attacks in central Mali and on the outskirts of the capital, Bamako, triggering a new wave of displacement and heightening fears of a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Recent strikes centered on the village of Farabougou and areas around Bamako left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead or wounded, according to local reports. Rights advocates warn the situation is deteriorating as international aid to West Africa continues to contract.
The Malian army has acknowledged heavy losses, saying roughly 149 soldiers were killed in coordinated assaults—underscoring the scale of the security challenge facing authorities in the Sahel nation.
“It’s extremely serious—JNIM is closer to the capital than ever,” said Malian rights activist Ibrahim Ould Hamoud, who warned of further displacement amid the government’s failure to halt the group’s advance. With relief operations scaled back, civilians face acute shortages of medical care, food, and medicines, he added, urging urgent regional and international action to stem the violence.
Ould Hamoud argued Mali’s army and security forces “cannot alone stop JNIM’s push,” saying the group appears intent on encircling Bamako as government units suffer setbacks.
Military analyst Amro Diallo said the latest JNIM operations validate earlier warnings. “The group has adapted its tactics and strengthened its capabilities—and it is now reaping results on the ground,” he told Erem News, criticizing Mali’s military rulers for downplaying the risk of JNIM seizing the capital or strategic cities such as Kidal. “The situation is serious and likely to escalate in the coming days,” he said.
