This was reported by The Washington Post (WaPo) citing informed sources. If this decision is approved, Mali will become the eighth country targeted by U.S. strikes since Trump’s return to the White House. Previously, the U.S. military has carried out strikes in Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela.
However, as WaPo’s sources noted, there is no consensus on this issue among high-ranking U.S. officials. Sebastian Gorka, senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, is an active proponent of the military option. The White House declined to comment on plans for a military operation in Mali but noted that terrorism in the Sahel—a vast semi-arid region south of the Sahara—is a “multinational problem.”
The Sahel Alliance consists of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In recent years, the military in all of these countries has overthrown democratic governments, severed ties with the West, and turned to Russia for security assistance. In particular, the African Corps—formed by the Russian Ministry of Defense using mercenaries from the Wagner Group—was deployed to Mali.
This year, a terrorist group drove Russian troops out of several key cities. A spokesperson for the Trump administration emphasized that Moscow “has proven ineffective as a partner to Mali.” “We hope that other African countries will take note of Russia’s abysmal track record in the fight against terrorism,” the U.S. official said.
Clashes with Russian Troops Are Possible
At the same time, as the Washington Post reports, a U.S. military operation in Mali could lead to a clash with Russian forces. Therefore, to avoid potential conflicts, Washington and Moscow will need to coordinate their actions, as they did during the war in Syria, the publication notes.
This past spring, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported an attempted coup in Mali carried out by the “Azawad Liberation Front” and JNIM. The insurgents attacked four major population centers—the capital, Bamako, and the cities of Sevare, Gao, and Kidal. They also attempted to seize the presidential palace. Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed as a result of the attacks. In July, the General Staff of the Malian Army reported rebel attacks on several cities, including Anefis and Aguelhoc in northern Mali, Gao and Sevare in the central part of the country, and Kenioroba in the south. Later, the military claimed to have regained control of strategic positions in Anefis.
