The administration is considering military strikes against the al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM in Mali.
The administration is weighing military action against Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group that has turned Mali into a terrorism hotspot. If approved, these strikes would mark the eighth country targeted by President Trump since he returned to office last year. The administration is currently evaluating the move while engaged in a months-long war with Iran. While the military junta in Mali has largely turned to Russian mercenaries for security, the administration has criticized Russia as an ineffective partner. An administration official noted that the blame for Mali's deteriorating security falls on Russia, and the U.S. is urging African nations to purchase American equipment to support their war efforts. Sebastian Gorka, a deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, is a primary advocate for the strikes. The administration hopes that military action will persuade Mali’s rulers to shift their reliance from Russia toward the U.S. for protection and mineral access.