{"id":2601053,"date":"2026-05-11T06:21:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T10:21:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-al-qaeda-repositioned-itself-to-dominate-the-central-sahel\/"},"modified":"2026-05-11T06:29:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T10:29:35","slug":"how-al-qaeda-repositioned-itself-to-dominate-the-central-sahel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-al-qaeda-repositioned-itself-to-dominate-the-central-sahel\/","title":{"rendered":"How Al Qaeda repositioned itself to dominate the central Sahel"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhow-al-qaeda-repositioned-itself-to-dominate-the-central-sahel%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2601053&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>After years of losing ground in the global jihadist landscape, al Qaeda has reemerged through its Sahel affiliate, Jama\u2019at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which is increasingly seen as a direct threat to the Malian government. The article contrasts this with how al Qaeda was largely eclipsed in the mid-2010s by ISIS, whose global prominence continued even after losing its territorial \u201ccaliphate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the Central Sahel-especially Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger-JNIM has become more influential than ISIS\u2019s Sahel Province. Analysts attribute JNIM\u2019s rise to a more adaptable \u201cfranchise\u201d approach: building a multiethnic coalition with semi-autonomous local factions that can tailor messaging and governance to local grievances,including selectively moderating harsh Sharia enforcement to gain trust.The group has also formed unusual alliances with secular forces, such as an offensive conducted alongside Tuareg rebels, despite major cultural and ideological differences.<\/p>\n<p>JNIM is portrayed as running a proto-state-like model that still presents legitimacy on the surface,using resource extraction and Islamic taxation concepts like zakat-often seen as bordering on extortion-to fund operations. Its appeal is also framed as contrasting with the region\u2019s ethnic-driven violence: by emphasizing Islamic unity, it has positioned itself as a protector for groups targeted in cycles of retaliation involving Tuaregs, Fulani, and other communities.<\/p>\n<p>Militarily, the article argues that JNIM\u2019s political strategy translates into battlefield effectiveness. It emphasizes rural dominance, ambush tactics, and control of key supply lines, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/two-proud-boys-indicted-on-conspiracy-charges-for-alleged-role-in-u-s-capitol-riot\/\" title=\"Two Proud Boys Indicted On Conspiracy Charges For Alleged Role In U.S. Capitol Riot\">including actions<\/a> such as fuel blockades. It also highlights tactics like infiltration and disguise, plus innovation using motorcycles for rapid movement and attacks supported by suicide bombings. JNIM is also described as adopting modern drone capabilities, further strengthening its ability to outmatch underprepared junta forces and maintain momentum where state control is weakest.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>After years of fading from the spotlight, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/al-qaeda\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1194\">Al Qaeda<\/a> has reemerged as powerful as ever, and is now poised to take over its first country in the central <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/sahel\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"6070\">Sahel<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>After beginning the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/war-on-terror\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2843\">Global War on Terror<\/a> as the standard bearer of global Islamic jihad, Al Qaeda took a backseat in the mid-2010s as it was outcompeted by its more radical offshoot, the Islamic State group, which at its peak boasted a caliphate spanning Iraq and Syria about the size of Great Britain. Even after the fall of its physical caliphate in 2018, the Islamic State group has become the byword for international Islamic terrorism, while Al Qaeda has mostly remained in the junior position.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4562418\/netanyahu-wants-phase-out-us-aid-this-congress\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Netanyahu says he wants to phase out US aid under this Congress<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4560187\/power-vacuum-al-qaeda-central-sahel\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How great power competition in the central Sahel helped open a vacuum for al Qaeda<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4562051\/putin-thinks-war-coming-to-end-ceasefire-into-effect\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Putin thinks Ukraine war \u2018coming to an end\u2019 as three-day ceasefire goes into effect<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Burkina Faso national flag with a man directly behind it is seen during a memorial ceremony in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Jan. 23, 2016. (AP Photo\/Theo Renaut, File)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>That reality has changed in recent months in a previously quiet front in the Global War on Terror \u2014 the Central Sahel. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, Jama\u2019at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin \u2014 Al Qaeda\u2019s affiliate in the Sahel \u2014 has emerged as one of the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-great-power-competition-in-the-central-sahel-helped-al-qaeda\/\" title=\"How great power competition in the Central Sahel helped ...\">powerful terrorist groups<\/a> on Earth, positioning itself in recent weeks as an existential threat to the government of Mali itself.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Graphic by Grace Hagerman \/ Washington Examiner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Over half of terrorism-related deaths worldwide occurred in the Sahel in 2025, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/world\/global-terrorism-index-2026\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/reliefweb.int\/report\/world\/global-terrorism-index-2026\">according to<\/a> the Global Terrorism Index. The successes of JNIM have transformed Africa into the global epicenter for terrorism.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pragmatism-and-gaming-local-politics\">Pragmatism and gaming local politics<\/h2>\n<p>After 25 years of the Global War on Terror, the Al-Qaeda affiliate has taken an entirely new approach to transnational jihad, one that Liam Karr, an analyst for the American Enterprise Institute\u2019s Critical Threats Project, described as \u201crevolutionary.\u201d The terrorist group\u2019s strategy can best be characterized as combining selective moderation, gaming local political and ethnic interests, and strategic patience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJNIM are very savvy political operators,\u201d Karr said, describing a \u201cfranchise model\u201d that establishes different autonomous ethnic subgroups to create a multiethnic coalition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut those subgroups have a large degree of autonomy to act within their local context, so that they can respond to the specific local grievances of the predominant ethnic group in that area, and speak their language, literally, but also speak to those grievances,\u201d Karr said.<\/p>\n<p>The success of JNIM in the Central Sahel is particularly surprising due to the region\u2019s historical moderation. JNIM is noticeably conscious of this, selectively holding back Sharia enforcement in more moderate areas to build long-term trust. This mastering of the art of compromise comes in contrast to the ideological rigidity and extremism of the Islamic State group.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 66.7% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/5290c34f-5198-42ba-88e1-cee1cb0dca0e?src=embed&#038;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Terrorist groups\" allowfullscreen allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThey strike local deals \u2026 something to the effect of, \u2018if you implement these certain aspects of Sharia, then we\u2019ll drop the military pressure.\u2019 And often, the local leaders or local militants know how to fine-tune those, and they do vary from locality to locality where the group isn\u2019t pushing, chopping off hands, all of this stuff, but more moderate things like dress codes, and they might even let certain localities keep traditional customs,\u201d Karr said. <\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s been some precedent of Al Qaeda groups adapting to local conditions, such as Al Shabbab in Somalia and the Al Nusra Front in Syria, which eventually rebranded and officially cut ties before seizing power. JNIM has taken this model to another level, even striking some alliances with secular groups such as the Tuareg Azawad Liberation Front, with which it carried out an unprecedented joint offensive on April 25.<\/p>\n<p>Middle East expert Zineb Riboua, at the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East of the Hudson Institute, argued that the open tactical alliance between JNIM and the secular Tuareg rebels is one of the most significant long-term impacts of the insurgency, possibly setting a precedent.<\/p>\n<p>The alliance is particularly surprising due to the vast cultural differences between the Tuaregs and an international Salafist jihadist group, especially regarding their views of women.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe other Tuareg, for example, they don\u2019t see women the same way as JNIM does,\u201d Riboua said. \u201cWomen are much more autonomous, much more independent. They have in their families a sort of matriarchal structure. It\u2019s a nomadic culture, and they retained a lot from their pre-Islamic practices that are in direct contradiction with the Salafi teachings of Islam.<\/p>\n<p>JNIM\u2019s proto-state also makes an effort to uphold at least the facade of ethical governance. It funds operations through resource extraction, but also Islamic taxation principles. Zakat, a pillar of Islam requiring Muslims to donate at least 2.5% of their surplus wealth to charitable causes, is wielded by the group as a form of taxation. Analysts have noted that this frequently crosses the line into extortion, but at least has an aura of legitimacy.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-outcompeting-isis\">Outcompeting ISIS<\/h2>\n<p>JNIM\u2019s localized model has proven far superior to the extractive model pursued by the Islamic State\u2019s Sahel Province, which has prioritized its usual shock and brutality over winning over locals. ISSP also hasn\u2019t toned down its transnational aspirations, unlike JNIM, which tailors much of its propaganda to national grievances.<\/p>\n<p>JNIM and ISSP fight each other with similar intensity to that against the junta governments, with JNIM largely emerging victorious. Its activities are now largely restricted to Niger and the tri-border area.<\/p>\n<p>The rise of JNIM and contraction of ISSP can be seen in Armed Conflict Location &#038; Event Data figures, which noted 1,800 ISSP violent actions from 2018 to mid-2025, compared to nearly 9,000 from JNIM over the same period. ACLED noted around 500 violent actions from JNIM in 2018, a yearly total that has nearly doubled in recent years.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-anti-racist-jihad\">Anti-racist jihad<\/h2>\n<p>Another strange appeal of JNIM is its stress on Islamic unity as a way to overcome racism. The wars in Mali and Burkina Faso, particularly, are characterized by ethnic feuds, mainly pitting the Tuaregs against the ethnicities further south in the former, and the Fulani pastoralists vs the majority Mossi farmers. Tuareg and Fulani villagers caught in the cycle of indiscriminate retaliatory ethnic violence often flock to JNIM for protection.<\/p>\n<p>Burkina Faso\u2019s ethnic violence has become some of the most brutal, Karr said, as the military is much smaller, so the central government relies on <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >poorly trained pro-government militias<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 66.7% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/eeb2b5ee-013f-40f9-9dfd-65850c6e6c44?src=embed&#038;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Terrorism\" allowfullscreen allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border-width: medium; border-style: none; border-color: currentcolor; border-image: initial; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>\u201cWhen these militias were originally created, even prior to the junta \u2026 most of the recruitment took place amongst non-Fulani communities,\u201d Karr said.\u00a0\u201cAnd so what this led to was them settling scores, settling ethnic grievances, or the perception that all the Fulani are jihadists.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you only have two weeks of training, it\u2019s not like these militias are trained on rules of engagement, or civil-military relations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Though JNIM has effectively cast itself as protectors of ethnic minorities against racist attacks, Karr also pointed out that this has led to an incentive structure that encourages the group to foment ethnic violence, which it often will.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-military-innovation\">Military innovation<\/h2>\n<p>While the political strategy pursued by JNIM has produced major gains, the conflict in the Central Sahel still boils down to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/putin-green-lights-military-operations-in-ukraine\/\" title=\"Putin Green Lights Military Operations in Ukraine\">armed clash<\/a>, and in warfighting ability, JNIM has likewise emerged as the most capable force.<\/p>\n<p>JNIM relies heavily on ambushes, taking advantage of its dominance of the countries\u2019 rural areas.<\/p>\n<p>With the help of their Russian allies, the junta government has \u201cconcentrated power and pushed towards much more centralization in the cities and in the capital, leaving the countryside. But the countryside is where everything plays out,\u201d Riboua said.<\/p>\n<p>The approach works in urbanized Russia, but doesn\u2019t translate well into the mostly rural Sahel. Karr concurred, saying the junta is \u201cvery popular\u201d in the capitals, major cities, and urban economic centers of power, more so than the democratic governments they toppled. In rural areas, however, their popularity is at rock bottom, largely due to their brutal counter-insurgency practices.<\/p>\n<p>The government\u2019s unpopularity in the rural areas and propensity for violence against villagers has opened the door for JNIM to cast itself as a more effective protector. In Burkina Faso alone, JNIM is believed to effectively control roughly 40% of the country\u2019s territory. Control of rural areas translates into control of the cities\u2019 supply lines. Last year, it announced a fuel blockade of Mali\u2019s capital, Bamako, paralyzing the city.<\/p>\n<p>Lt.-Col. of the Ordnance Service in the Portuguese Army Jorge Balula wrote in his book <em>Jihad in the Dust<\/em> about how JNIM has made liberal use of advanced infiltration, making use of captured soldiers\u2019 uniforms and weapons. Disguised as junta soldiers, jihadists carry out advanced reconnaissance of their targets ahead of attacks, but also use the ruse of a way to erode trust among civilians.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCivilians\u2014mistaking disguised fighters for allies\u2014may unwittingly provide information or access, only to face abductions or coercion later\u2026 This deepens human fear and causes community distrust, leading to defections where locals, caught in the crossfire, withdraw support from state forces or even align with JNIM for perceived protection,\u201d Balula wrote.<\/p>\n<p>JNIM has developed its own version of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/russias-underperforming-military-and-ours\/\" title=\"Russia\u2019s Underperforming Military (and Ours)\">combined arms tactics<\/a>, adopting innovative tactics suited for the environmental conditions of the Central Sahel. The group makes <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/adf-magazine.com\/2025\/09\/for-sahel-terrorists-motorcycles-are-a-key-tool-for-quick-attacks-and-escapes\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/adf-magazine.com\/2025\/09\/for-sahel-terrorists-motorcycles-are-a-key-tool-for-quick-attacks-and-escapes\/\">heavy use of motorcycles<\/a>, becoming a type of modern cavalry best suited for the modern battlefield. Its attacks on military bases or strongpoints are often preceded by suicide car or truck bombings, sowing chaos and allowing openings for fighters.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4515966\/rwanda-gas-project-isis-mozambique\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4515966\">RWANDA THREATENS TO STOP PROTECTING US GAS PROJECT FROM ISIS OVER SANCTIONS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Over the past year, best seen in the April 25 offensive, JNIM has also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lawfaremedia.org\/article\/african-non-state-actors-put-drones-on-the-attack\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.lawfaremedia.org\/article\/african-non-state-actors-put-drones-on-the-attack\">begun using<\/a> First Person View drones, a weapon revolutionized in the Russia-Ukraine war.<\/p>\n<p>Its advanced tactics, combined with ideological fanaticism, make JNIM more than a match for demoralized junta fighters. While inferior to Russian Africa Corps fighters, these are too few in number and scattered across too wide an area to effectively combat the swift-moving JNIM fighters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Al Qaeda has reemerged as powerful and targets its first Sahel state<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2601054,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25365057838112.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[17566,79406,6039],"class_list":["post-2601053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-al-qaeda","tag-central-sahel","tag-terrorism"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25365057838112.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2601053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2601053"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2601053\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2601057,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2601053\/revisions\/2601057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2601054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2601053"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2601053"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2601053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}