Mali May Face U.S. Strikes as Jihadist Gains Threaten Regional Stability

JOHANNESBURG: The United States is reportedly weighing airstrikes against al‑Qaeda‑linked militants in Mali, according to regional analysts and recent media coverage.

The military junta governing this West African Sahel nation since the coups of 2020 and 2021 has turned away from France and the United States, seeking protection from Russia and its Africa Corps mercenaries to counter jihadist threats.

The largest of these groups, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which currently surrounds the capital, has been credited—along with another faction—for killing 50 Malian soldiers this month, for the death of the country’s defense minister earlier this year, and for forcing Russian battalions to retreat on at least two occasions this year.

Malian troops parade during the country’s 65th anniversary of the African nation’s independence. (Habib Kouyate/Xinhua via Getty Images)

JNIM aims to transform Mali into an Islamist jihadist state; if successful, it would become the first country worldwide governed by a jihadist organization. The group was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization during the first Trump administration in 2018.

Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates also operate freely in Mali and maintain ties with extremist groups in neighboring Nigeria.

A State Department official declined to comment on a Washington Post report about possible U.S. strikes against JNIM in Mali, but used strong language in a Thursday interview with Fox News Digital, suggesting that diplomatic talks may be reaching their limit.

“The United States unequivocally condemns the terrorist activity in Mali,” the official said, adding, “in the Sahel, the United States remains committed to fostering regional ownership and cooperation against terrorist threats, while monitoring indicators and warnings of dangers to our homeland.”

This undated photograph handed out by French military shows three Russian mercenaries, right, in northern Mali. Russia has engaged in under-the-radar military operations in at least half a dozen African countries over the past five years using a shadowy mercenary force analysts say is loyal to President Vladimir Putin. Analysts say the Wagner Group of mercenaries is also key to Putin’s ambitions to re‑impose Russian influence globally. (French Army via AP)

Edmund Fitton‑Brown, a former British and United Nations diplomat, said the United States could authorize military action primarily to prevent jihadists from becoming entrenched in Mali. Fitton‑Brown, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital, “Mali matters to the United States because, as a failing state turned into a safe haven for al‑Qaeda and ISIS, it appears to be the first of several African dominoes likely to fall.”

Retired U.S. Air Force Major General Kenneth P. Ekman, who until last year led the Department of War’s West Africa Coordination Element, said that strike action could persuade Mali’s rulers to distance themselves from Russia and turn toward the United States for security assistance—and for purchases of military equipment.

A column of black smoke rises above buildings as traffic passes the Africa Tower monument in Bamako on April 26, 2026. April 25, 2026’s shock attacks, synchronized by Tuareg rebels of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coalition and the jihadist Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), targeted several areas in the vast arid country. Fighting resumed on April 26 in several areas, including Kita near Bamako, Kidal, Gao and Severe. Tuareg rebels meanwhile announced an agreement allowing Russian forces backing Mali’s army to withdraw from the northern city of Kidal, which they claimed was “totally” under their control. (AFP via Getty Images)

Ekman told Fox News Digital, “JNIM has a stranglehold on the government and much of the population. The Russians are woefully ineffective and extractive. Cooperation with U.S. forces offers a disproportionate and positive impact.”

Ekman said that U.S. forces have supported partner‑led operations against JNIM before, as recently as 2022, adding that recent proposals amount to returning to similar cooperation against a mutual threat.

The administration may also be viewing Mali through a minerals lens. The country is one of Africa’s largest gold producers and possesses substantial lithium deposits, which are vital for rechargeable batteries.

Fitton‑Brown suggested that “President Trump may be less reluctant than his predecessor to work with the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, if they lose confidence in their Russian partners.”

Vehicle turned up following brutal ambush on Russian Wagner fighters in Mali on July 27, 2024. (East2West)

He continued, “The United States is certainly a more capable partner. France has already been displaced, so all three countries might accept U.S. assistance if it comes with strings that do not offend or disadvantage them. Whether even the United States can halt the political decline of these nations and the rise of militant Islam remains an open question—one that cannot be solved by military force alone.”

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Fitton‑Brown noted that U.S. assets such as aircraft may not be directly involved in a strike; “The United States might collaborate with French and other intelligence services to develop local intelligence for strikes on JNIM leadership, but this is unlikely to yield significant results. The organization is resilient and capable of replacing those killed.”

A former senior Department of War official told Fox News Digital that the United States possesses cruise missiles and long‑range bombers. Attack drones are unlikely to be used, and the U.S. Naval Institute’s Fleet Tracker shows no American aircraft carriers near African waters, effectively ruling out carrier‑based operations.

However, Ekman believes airstrikes are under consideration, noting that “JNIM and ISIS pose a threat to U.S. interests and are gaining strength across West Africa.”

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