Mali

ADF STAFF The Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 disrupted grain shipments to countries across Africa. In response, Russia has begun shipping free grain to six African countries, but those shipments come with strings attached.…

ADF STAFF Since the notorious Russian mercenary outfit formerly known as the Wagner Group began reorganizing under the control of the Russian Defense Ministry in 2023, controlling gold mining sites in Mali has been a priority. Russian…

ADF STAFF Despite an amazing array of natural resources, the Central African Republic (CAR) has endured years of civil war, poor governance and corruption. Traffickers, terrorists, mercenaries and thieves are stealing its wealth of…

Defenceweb Four United Nations peacekeeping missions in Africa are working to prevent and stop disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining mission credibility. MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), MINUSCA in the…

ADF STAFF The Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) has in the last year gained significant territory from a rival group in Mali, increased religious tax collections known as zakat, and expanded recruitment efforts throughout the Sahel.…

ADF STAFF Civilians in the Sahel’s tri-border region are caught in the crosshairs of violence perpetrated by rival terrorist groups. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which is affiliated with al-Qaida, and the Islamic State…

ADF STAFF Col. Alpha Yaya Sangaré flashed a proud smile in front of a roomful of people at the Alioune Blondin Beye Peacekeeping School in Bamako, Mali, on February 24. The occasion was a signing event for his new book, “Mali: The…

ADF STAFF Thousands of civilians in northern Mali have fled their homes in recent months, running from what they call systematic attacks by Russian mercenaries and Malian soldiers. Malian researcher Mohamed Issouf Ag Mohamed and professor…

ADF STAFF Terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa is intensifying, and experts say the central Sahel region has replaced the Middle East as its global epicenter. Worldwide deaths from terrorism increased by 22% in 2023 to 8,352 — the most since…

ADF STAFF More than a decade of violent conflicts in the Sahel has given rise to the thriving business of firearms trafficking, in which demand far outpaces supply. With a 2022 population of 4.2 million, Mali’s capital city of Bamako is…