Mali Crisis and JNIM Islamists: Instability in the Sahel
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Sahel region has endured prolonged upheaval for many years. Yet the internal political convulsions shaking Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — revolving around democracy, military rule, Islamist insurgency, ethnic tension, and entrenched cronyism — now appear to be eroding the very fabric of these nations to an even greater degree.
Indeed, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have also rejected the geopolitical authority of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States). At the same time, all three nations continue to push back against France’s colonial legacy. In response, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States and demanded the withdrawal of French armed forces. However, despite the initial sense of momentum and independence that accompanied this new alliance, it now seems that Islamist forces are exploiting the resulting regional instability.
In Mali, the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) and the more powerful Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) are enforcing fuel and economic blockades targeting Bamako and other key areas. Unlike in the past, when anti-government forces were largely concentrated in the north and central regions, JNIM’s growing influence is now inching dangerously closer to the capital itself.
JNIM power bases in northern and central Mali are now extending their reach into the southern and western regions of the country. Crucially, the Islamist insurgents have imposed blockades on vital trade and fuel supply routes connecting Mali with Senegal and Ivory Coast. As a result, the worsening cost of living and persistent fuel shortages are compounding public hardship and further undermining the authority of the central government.
JNIM Islamists now operate as a state within a state. In territories under their control, they have imposed a rigid interpretation of Sharia law, displacing local governance structures and traditional norms. Consequently, Mali’s long-standing traditions of moderate Islam are under growing threat from the Takfiri ideology propagated by both JNIM and ISSP.
The nations of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mauritania, Senegal, and Togo are observing developments in the Sahel with growing apprehension. At the same time, the broader Lake Chad region remains a volatile epicenter of Islamist militancy. Groups originating in northern Nigeria — notably Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) — have spread their influence into Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Consequently, the expanding menace of Takfiri Islamist forces continues to sow discord across borders, posing a grave and widening threat to regional stability throughout West Africa.
According to AP News, “Mali’s military has attempted to escort fuel trucks from border areas to Bamako while also targeting JNIM locations with airstrikes. Some trucks have made it to the capital, but others have been attacked by militants.”
In northern Mali, the Tuareg separatists of the Coordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) also continue to voice genuine grievances.
It is incumbent upon the United States, ECOWAS, the European Union, and the G7 nations to engage constructively with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — both economically and through the provision of military assistance. However, such cooperation must be rooted in genuine dialogue and respect for the priorities of these nations.
Only by listening to their perspectives and addressing their specific security and developmental needs can the international community help curb terrorism and prevent further destabilization across the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.
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