How jihadists took control of strategic Mali town amid deepening crisis

Thursday’s takeover of Farabougou, a strategic town in central Mali, by jihadists linked to al-Qaeda has once again brought into the limelight the fragile security situation in the Sahel region. This is coming a week after the jihadists seized the town’s military camp, local sources told AFP. Late last month, in the area, the army […]

Thursday’s takeover of Farabougou, a strategic town in central Mali, by jihadists linked to al-Qaeda has once again brought into the limelight the fragile security situation in the Sahel region.

This is coming a week after the jihadists seized the town’s military camp, local sources told AFP.

Late last month, in the area, the army had to withdraw from its camp, one of the largest in the region, following the jihadist attack.

Fighters from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM in Arabic), which is affiliated with al-Qaeda, claimed they were behind the operation in messages published on its propaganda platform al-Zallaqa.

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Local officials told AFP that Farabougou is now under jihadist control, with residents returning under strict conditions, including payment of taxes and adherence to Islamic rules banning secular music, alcohol, and uncovered women.

The army has yet to re-enter the area, and no official casualty figures have been released.

The development marks a symbolic setback for Mali’s military-led government, which had previously lifted a jihadist blockade on the same town following its 2020 takeover.

Farabougou, some 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the capital Bamako, is of strategic importance given its central position in the Segou region.

“The head of the village has signed with the jihadists to say we shall respect their laws, so they have said we can return,” one resident told AFP by telephone, adding the army was still not in the zone.

“What can residents do? Some have nowhere else to go,” said one local official.

 

Fallout with France

Mali’s jihadist insurgency began in earnest in January 2012, following a Tuareg rebellion in the north.

Initially led by the secular National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the rebellion was soon overtaken by Islamist groups including Ansar Dine, AQIM (al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), and MOJWA (Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa).

By April 2012, jihadist factions had seized control of key northern cities, Timbuktu, Gao, and Kidal and imposed strict Sharia law.

The crisis prompted a military coup in Bamako and led to French military intervention in 2013 under Operation Serval, later replaced by Operation Barkhane.

Despite international efforts, jihadist violence has persisted and spread into central Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with groups like JNIM and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) continuing to launch deadly attacks.

As a result, Mali’s junta began distancing itself from Western allies, particularly France. In 2022, the government formally terminated defence agreements with Paris and expelled French troops, accusing them of undermining Mali’s sovereignty.

In their place, Mali invited Russia’s mercenary, Wagner Group, a private military company, to assist in counterterrorism operations. Wagner operatives arrived in late 2021 and were deployed across central Mali, occupying former French bases and establishing a presence near Bamako’s airport.

However, Wagner’s operations have been marred by allegations of human rights abuses and strained relations with the Malian army.

In June 2025, Wagner announced its withdrawal from Mali, citing heavy losses. Russia’s Africa Corps, a state-controlled paramilitary force, has since taken over Wagner’s operations.

 

Exiting ECOWAS

Mali, along with Burkina Faso and Niger, announced its withdrawal from ECOWAS in January 2024, accusing the regional bloc of acting under foreign influence and failing to support their fight against terrorism.

The three countries, now governed by military regimes, formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) as a new regional bloc focused on mutual defence and sovereignty. ECOWAS, which had suspended and sanctioned the trio following their coups, expressed regret over the decision and called for dialogue.

The exit has raised concerns about regional stability and the future of economic and security cooperation in West Africa.

Mali’s current political pathway began with the August 2020 coup, when President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted by mutinous soldiers led by Colonel Assimi Goïta. The coup followed months of protests over corruption and insecurity.

A transitional government was formed, but tensions between civilian leaders and the military culminated in a second coup in May 2021, with Goïta assuming full control as interim president.

Despite promises of elections, the junta has extended its rule. In July 2025, Mali’s military-appointed legislative body granted Goïta a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely. The junta has since dissolved political parties and banned public gatherings, drawing criticism from civil society and international observers.

As jihadist groups tighten their grip on strategic towns like Farabougou, Mali’s internal challenges, from political repression to regional isolation, continue to mount. With Western allies sidelined and Russian mercenaries entrenched, the country’s future remains uncertain.