The junta and its Wagner Group allies are reopening battles with the former separatist as they race to take over the UN s bases, After a decade of the UN s 15,000-strong peacekeeping force operating in northern Mali, the region is adapting to its sudden departure. Two threats stand out: the insurgent Islamist groups heading southwards are capturing more territory in the Ménaka and Gao regions; and Mali s national army, backed by fighters from Russia s Wagner Group, are fighting former separatist groups for control of the UN s recently vacated bases in the region.
The mercenary Wagner group will be the main beneficiary as international peacekeepers prepare to quit and jihadists step up attacks, Malian junta leader Col Assimi Goïta pronounced himself very satisfied on his Twitter account following a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 14 June. The two men discussed Russian deliveries of wheat, fertiliser and fuel, while Goïta also thanked Putin for the latter s assistance in fighting terrorism and stabilising the situation in Mali.
This is a compilation of the reports that the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) published during the week of January 21-28, 2023.
New leader Captain Traoré says security crisis forced his faction to seize power but it could work with Russia, Turkey or the US military, On 3 October, a day after he was confirmed in power in Ougadougou, new military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré told a sceptical audience that he understood the urgency of the security crisis: We must move quickly and not be hindered by all kinds of red tape .
This is a compilation of the reports that the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) published during the week of September 10-17, 2022.