Latest news with #Jama'atNusratal-Islamwal-Muslimin
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Analysis-Rise in Al Qaeda attacks revives spectre of West African caliphate
DAKAR (Reuters) -At dawn on June 1, gunfire shattered the stillness of Mali's military base in Boulkessi. Waves of jihadist insurgents from an al-Qaeda-linked group stormed the camp, catching newly deployed soldiers off guard. Some troops, unfamiliar with the base, which lies near Mali's southern border with Burkina Faso, scrambled to find cover while others fled into the arid brush, according to one soldier, who spoke to survivors of the attack. The soldier, who had completed a tour at the camp a week before, requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to journalists. Hours after the attack, videos circulated online showing jubilant fighters from Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), stepping over the bodies of fallen soldiers. JNIM claimed it had killed more than 100 troops and showed around 20 soldiers who said they were captured at the base. Reuters was unable to verify the claims independently. The Boulkessi assault was one of more than a dozen deadly attacks by JNIM on military outposts and towns across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in May and June. The insurgents claimed to have killed more than 400 soldiers in those attacks. Mali's military government has not commented on the toll. Reuters spoke to five analysts, a security expert and a community leader in the region who said the surge in violence reflects a strategic shift by JNIM - a group founded by a veteran Islamist who rose to prominence by briefly seizing northern Mali in 2012. JNIM is moving from rural guerrilla tactics to a campaign aimed at controlling territory around urban centres and asserting political dominance in the Sahel, they said. "The recent attacks point a concrete effort to encircle Sahelian capitals, aiming for a parallel state stretching from western Mali to southern Niger and northern Benin," said Mucahid Durmaz, senior Africa analyst at risk intelligence group Verisk Maplecroft. Attacks by JNIM left more 850 people dead across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in May, a rise from the average rate of killings of around 600 in previous months, according to data from U.S. crisis-monitoring group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED). The surge in attacks in May and June marks one of the deadliest periods in the Sahel's recent history and underscores the threat posed by jihadist groups at a time when regional governments are estranged from former Western military allies, analysts say. More than a decade of insurgencies in the Sahel has caused mass displacement and economic collapse. The violence has steadily spread towards coastal West Africa, straining regional stability and fuelling migration toward Europe. On July 1, JNIM carried out simultaneous attacks on army camps and positions in seven towns in central and western Mali, according to an army statement and claims by the insurgents. The army said 80 militants were killed. Reuters was unable to reach JNIM for comment. The group releases its statements and videos on social media, and has no media spokesperson. Mali's army did not respond to Reuters requests for comments about the wave of JNIM attacks. It said in a statement after the Boulkessi assault that troops responded "vigorously" before retreating. "Many soldiers fought, some to their last breath," the statement said. STRATEGIC PIVOT JNIM's leader, Iyad Ag Ghaly, has been instrumental in its transformation. A former rebel leader in Mali's Tuareg uprisings in the 1990s, Ag Ghaly led the fundamentalist group Ansar Dine that was part of a coalition of groups that briefly occupied northern Mali in 2012. The militants imposed a harsh version of sharia law - banning music, imposing mutilations as punishment for crimes, and holding public executions and floggings. Thousands fled, and cultural sites were destroyed, leaving lasting trauma in the region before the rebels were driven out by a French military intervention the following year. Ag Ghaly is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The military leaders in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, who seized power between 2020 and 2023 on the back of the prolonged insurgencies, promise to restore security before returning their countries to democratic rule. They've cut ties with Western nations and expelled their forces, blaming them for failing to end the insurgencies and turning instead to Russia for military support. After deploying mercenaries, the Russians have also suffered setbacks and been unable to contain the uprisings. In Burkina Faso — a country about half the size of France — militants exert influence or control over an estimated 60% of the territory, according to ACLED. Ag Ghaly, who has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda, has positioned himself as the leader of a jihadist coalition that includes al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al-Mourabitoun, and Katiba Macina after they merged into JNIM in 2017. A Western security source, who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak publicly, told Reuters that JNIM has emerged as the region's strongest militant group, with an estimated 6,000 to 7,000 fighters. Ag Ghaly's goal, the analysts said, is to impose Islamic rule across the Sahel and extend its influence to coastal West Africa, a region twice the size of Western Europe, with a population of around 430 million people, many of them Christian. In a rare video released in December 2023, he denounced the military governments in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso and called on Muslims to mobilize against them and their Russian allies. Ag Ghaly could not be reached for comment. The governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger did not respond to requests for comment. SOPHISTICATED TACTICS, LOCAL OUTREACH JNIM's battlefield tactics have grown increasingly sophisticated, including the use of anti-aircraft weapons and drones for surveillance and precision strikes, Durmaz said. It has amassed substantial resources, meanwhile, through raids, cattle rustling, hijacking of goods, kidnappings and taxes on local communities, the five analysts said. While it has not appointed local administrators in areas under its control, JNIM has imposed a tax known as 'Zakat' for protection, according to two residents and a former militia fighter. They have quelled some inter-communal conflicts and imposed a form of Sharia law, requiring women to wear veils and men to grow beards. But they have refrained from severe punishments, such as amputating the hands of thieves. Heni Nsaibia, Senior West Africa analyst at ACLED, described its recent activity as a "step change". He said JNIM seizing Burkina Faso's northern provincial capital Djibo, a town of over 60,000 people, on May 11 and Diapaga, an eastern provincial capital of around 15,000, two days later was unprecedented. "In Djibo they stayed for 11 hours or plus. In Diapaga they remained for two-three days even. And that is very much something that we haven't seen before," Nsaibia said. According to Nsaibia, the group has captured an estimated $3 million worth of munitions in Djibo alone. The repeated attacks have left the capitals of Mali and Burkina Faso unsettled, and idea of JNIM taking over Bamako or Ouagadougou, once considered far-fetched, is a plausible threat, according to Nsaibia. JNIM's outreach to marginalized communities, particularly the Fulani, a widely dispersed pastoralist group, has been central to recruitment, the analysts said. "JNIM is advancing its narrative as a defender of marginalised communities," Durmaz said. "They are not just fighting for territory — they're fighting for legitimacy." Fulani have increasingly found themselves targeted by authorities across Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso under the banner of counter-terrorism, a Fulani community leader told Reuters, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. While not all Fulani are involved in armed groups, their presence is significant among insurgents in rural areas, driven more by frustration and lack of opportunity than ideology, the leader said. JNIM's ambitions now stretch beyond the Sahel. The group has expanded its operations into northern Benin and Togo, and are threatening Gulf of Guinea states which they use as a rear base, according to analysts. Both countries have deployed more security forces in the northern regions as insurgents ramp up attacks. "Togo and Benin are the most vulnerable due to their limited counterterrorism capabilities, existing local grievances in their northern regions, and porous borders with Burkina Faso," Durmaz said. ($1 = 554.9000 CFA francs) (Additional reporting Robbie Corey-Boulet and Bate Felix Writing by Bate Felix)
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
JNIM: How an al-Qaeda ally became Africa's most dangerous jihadist group and why the US should worry
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has become one of Africa's most dangerous extremist groups, responsible for a surge in deadly attacks and growing instability across the Sahel (the vast region of western and north-central Africa, forming a transitional zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the savannas to the south) and beyond. As armies in the region struggle to contain its advance, JNIM 's influence continues to expand, making it a central force in West Africa's security crisis. JNIM was formed in March 2017 in Mali, when several jihadist groups - including Ansar al-Din, al-Murabitun, the Macina Liberation Front, and the Sahara branch of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) - merged to unify their fight and resources. The group's leader, Iyad ag Ghali , a former Tuareg rebel and Malian diplomat, pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda's global leadership and the Taliban. This merger was inspired by al-Qaeda's push for unity among its affiliates, aiming to strengthen their operational capabilities and extend their reach across West Africa. In its most recent and deadliest operation to date, JNIM militants launched a coordinated assault in April 2025, targeting the West African nation of Benin's military positions at. Dozens of JNIM fighters attacked both static positions and a patrol, resulting in at least 54 Beninese soldiers killed, according to official figures—though JNIM claimed the toll was even higher, publishing videos of the aftermath. This attack surpassed a previous January 2025 assault, which killed 28 Beninese soldiers, and marked a dramatic escalation in both scale and lethality. So far in 2025, JNIM attacks in Benin have caused at least 157 fatalities—already exceeding the 103 deaths recorded in all of 2024. Notably, while the frequency of attacks has decreased (on track for 25% fewer attacks than last year), the scale and impact of each incident have grown, with Benin's military losses in 2025 already equivalent to 80% of all Beninese forces killed in action over the previous three years. Live Events Why should Americans care? Terrorism's Global Reach: JNIM's growing power is a reminder that terrorist threats can quickly spread beyond their home bases. U.S. officials have warned that instability in Africa can create safe havens for extremists, with ripple effects for global security. International Security : The U.S. and its allies have invested heavily in counterterrorism efforts in Africa. JNIM's rise has complicated these missions, especially as Western military presence in the region has decreased. Humanitarian Impact: The violence has displaced millions of people and triggered humanitarian crises, with ripple effects reaching Europe and potentially the U.S. through migration and security concerns. Where does it operate and why? JNIM is most active in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, but its attacks have spread into Benin, Togo, and Senegal. The group has exploited weak borders, local grievances, and the withdrawal of Western troops to expand its operations. In July 2025, JNIM claimed responsibility for a major coordinated attack on seven military sites in western Mali, underlining its ability to launch complex and deadly assaults. JNIM's main goal is to establish a Salafi-Islamist state in West Africa and expel Western influence. The group targets government forces, foreign troops, UN peacekeepers, and civilians. It funds itself through kidnapping for ransom, taxing and extorting local populations, and smuggling weapons and goods. The group is known for blending violence with local engagement - sometimes providing resources or signing agreements with communities to win support or at least tolerance. JNIM's leadership, especially Iyad ag Ghali and his deputy Amadou Kouffa, play a key role in directing local branches and maintaining the group's cohesion. JNIM's rise is linked to several factors: Mergers and Alliances: By uniting several experienced jihadist factions, JNIM pooled fighters, weapons, and local knowledge, making it more resilient and effective. Exploiting Weakness: The group takes advantage of poor governance, ethnic tensions, and economic hardship in the Sahel, recruiting young men who see few alternatives. Regional Instability: The violence unleashed by JNIM and similar groups has contributed to a string of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with both civilian and military governments struggling to contain the threat. The human cost JNIM's attacks have become increasingly deadly. In 2025, the group was behind Benin's worst-ever extremist attack, killing more than 50 soldiers in a single day. Across the region, thousands have died, and millions have been displaced, as violence spreads from the Sahel into previously stable coastal states. JNIM is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the US, Australia, and other governments. Its growing reach and ability to destabilize entire countries make it a significant concern for international security.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
‘Saw news of his abduction on YouTube': Indian workers abducted in Mali; whereabouts still unknown; rescue bid on, embassy coordinating with officials
HYDERABAD: What should have been a day of celebration turned into a nightmare for the family of Kurakula Amaralingeswara Rao, a Telangana native who was abducted by suspected militants in Mali on July 1, which apparently was his birthday. That morning, he stopped responding to calls. The following day, the family learned he had been abducted during a terror attack at the Diamond Cement factory in Kayes city in western Mali. "My husband's birthday was on July 1," said his wife Venkataramana. "He had spoken to me the previous night, asking about our son's injury. That was our last conversation," she said. The family, originally from Adavidevulapally near Miryalaguda, had recently shifted to LB Nagar in Hyderabad. "We have now returned to Miryalaguda to stay with other family members because we are under tremendous stress," she said. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad Amaralingeswara Rao had travelled to Mali about eight months ago for work. Company officials have informed the family that they are making efforts for the safe release of Rao and two other Indians, including Panda Venkatramana, a 28-year-old from a Telugu-speaking family settled in Ganjam district of Odisha. 'Indian embassy in Mali coordinating with officials to trace, rescue victims' Venkatramana's family approached the Hinjili police on Friday, desperate for information after receiving conflicting reports from the company, which is owned by Hyderabad-based Prasaditya Group. "His mother P Narasamma said the company first told her that her son was taken into police custody. But later, she saw news reports on YouTube saying he was abducted by militants. She was alarmed and approached us," said Hinjili police station SI Sunil. A general diary entry was recorded by Hinjili police, but no FIR has been filed yet. Venkatramana last spoke to his family on June 30. The next day, they were told he was in custody. But subsequent news confirmed that three Indian nationals, including two from the Telugu states, and a Chinese national were reportedly abducted by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group. His brother-in-law, P Babloo, expressed frustration over the company's inconsistent communication. "We are in complete shock. At first, they said he was in custody. Later they admitted he was abducted and said ransom talks were underway. We don't know what to believe. We just want the Indian govt to bring him back safely," he said. Venkatramana had previously worked in Hyderabad for an escalator company before joining Bluestar and eventually moving to Mali, where he was employed in quality control. "He stayed with us before flying out. We had no idea that he would end up in such danger," Babloo added. His father had passed away a few years ago, and his mother, who resides in Odisha, is waiting anxiously for her son's whereabouts. Meanwhile, the ministry of external affairs has confirmed the abductions and said the Indian embassy in Bamako, capital of Mali, is coordinating with authorities there and the employer to trace and rescue the victims. News reports also confirmed that three Indian nationals, and a Chinese worker were abducted by members of JNIM. So far, no militant group has publicly claimed responsibility or made any demands.
LeMonde
05-07-2025
- LeMonde
Starlink: The newest asset for rebel and jihadist groups in West Africa
From Mali to Chad, Starlink kits have increasingly become part of the equipment used by jihadist and rebel groups. Over the past two years, numerous videos and images have circulated on social media, showing the armed groups using the satellite internet system created by billionaire Elon Musk. The hardware, recognizable by its white satellite dish mounted on a tripod, appeared in June 2024 in a video released by the Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, during an operation in the Gao region of eastern Mali against the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA). In a risk analysis bulletin published on May 12, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC, a network of experts) confirmed that groups such as JNIM and ISWA are "exploiting the portable, high-speed connectivity [of Starlink] to enhance their operations." According to Nigerien security forces, Starlink devices have also been seized during counterterrorism operations in the Tillabéri and Tahoua regions in western Niger. The Starlink network operates even in the most remote corners of the globe thanks to its constellation of telecommunications satellites – 8,800 in total, according to a count in early June – that orbit the Earth at low altitude. According to the company, Starlink is officially active in 20 out of 54 African countries, including Nigeria since 2023 and Niger since March 2025. Unlike traditional land-based communications infrastructure, which covers only 37% of the continent, Starlink boasts nearly complete internet coverage thanks to its constantly moving satellites orbiting the planet.
NDTV
05-07-2025
- NDTV
Odisha Man Among 3 Indians Kidnapped By Al Qaeda-Linked Group In Mali
Ganjam: Three Indian nationals have been kidnapped by an Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group in the West African nation of Mali. Among those kidnapped is 28-year-old P Venkataraman, a resident of Odisha's Ganjam district. The kidnapping occurred on July 1, during an assault by armed terrorists on the premises of the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes in western Mali. The factory, which employs foreign workers, including Indians, became the target of a planned attack attributed to Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group that has claimed responsibility for multiple assaults across Mali in recent days. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the kidnappings, calling the act "deplorable" and urging the Malian authorities to take "all necessary measures" for the safe and speedy release of the kidnapped individuals. While the identities of the other two Indians have not been disclosed publicly as of Saturday, sources in Odisha have confirmed that Mr Venkataraman had been working with Mumbai-based Blue Star Pvt Ltd, which had deputed him to Mali to serve at the Diamond Cement facility. He had been posted there for approximately six months. Mr Venkataraman's mother, P. Narasamma -- a widow -- approached the police on Friday evening to file a complaint after losing contact with her son. She last spoke to him on June 30. On July 4, she received a phone call from an official of Blue Star who informed her that Mr Venkataraman was "in police custody" and assured her not to worry. The family was subsequently informed by local contacts and social media that he may have been kidnapped by terrorists. "I am very much worried about the fate of my son. I request the government for his safe release," MS Narasamma said. "First they said he is in custody, now we hear he is in captivity." JNIM, which pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2017, has been at the forefront of insurgent activity, frequently targeting UN peacekeepers, Malian soldiers, and foreign personnel.
