Islamic State extremists have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year, and their al-Qaida-linked rivals are also capitalizing on the deadlock and perceived weakness of armed groups that signed a 2015 peace agreement.

Islamic State extremists have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year, and their al-Qaida-linked rivals are capitalizing on the deadlock and perceived weakness of armed groups that signed a 2015 peace agreement, United Nations experts said in a new report.

The stalled implementation of the peace deal and sustained attacks on communities have offered the IS group and al-Qaida affiliates a chance “to re-enact the 2012 scenario,” they said.

  • livus
    13•1 year ago

    Conflict in the Sahel has been heating up over the past decade but it’s a lot of small groups.

    The reason Americans are likely seeing this in their news cycles all of a sudden is the recent coup in Niger.

    • The US has a military base in Niger.

    • Mali and Burkina Faso are now aligned with Niger - and Mali has Wagner forces.

    • Niger is mineral rich and also a big supplier of uranium, particularly for France.

      • livus
        5•1 year ago

        I’m willing to be corrected but I need more info. Is that what media are reporting where you are? It’s not really the impression I am getting. E.g

        Over the past 10 years, France has gotten 20% of its uranium from Niger, with another 27% from Kazakhstan and 19% from Uzbekistan. While the French state-owned uranium giant Orano owns three mines in Niger, it currently operates only one. Source

        I mentioned France specifically because they had military cooperation agreements with Niger before the coup (as with Mali before that) and an estimated 1,500 troops there.