Mali

France’s military presence in Niger hangs in the balance as talks with the junta-led government intensify post-coup.

A devastating jihadist attack in Burkina Faso claims 53 lives, highlighting the urgent need for stability and international support.

The recent decision by Niger’s new rulers to authorize intervention by neighboring armies underscores the complex interplay between national autonomy and regional cooperation in West Africa, raising hopes for a united front against regional destabilization but also concerns about sovereignty, unintended consequences, and the potential for broader conflict amidst a backdrop of recurring political instability, governance challenges, and historical precedents.

The recent clash between the CMA, the Malian army, and the Wagner mercenary group is a stark reminder of the fragile security situation in northern Mali, underscoring regional and international actors’ profound influence in shaping events.

The resulting shifts in power structures and global alliances in Niger and Mali will likely resonate throughout the international community, underscoring the global implications of local conflicts and power struggles.

In a startling oversight, millions of pieces of sensitive info intended for US defense employees have mistakenly landed in email accounts in Mali.

Russia’s Wanger Group, a Russian-backed private military contractor has left its bloody boot prints all over Africa. Now an Al Qaeda group in Mali claims to have killed four members of the Wagner Group in battle.

From Russia to China and even TikTok subverting law and order in public schools, this is the SOFREP week in review.

Western governments protest the government of Mali hiring Russian mercenaries under the guise of bringing in the Wagner Group which is accused of operating as a proxy for Moscow and Vladamir Putin.

After nine years, French forces will be leaving the troubled nation of Mali where Islamist terrorists attempted to gain a foothold. France is saying that its presence there is not totally ended but will take on a different posture, presumably in the form of military advisors and other military assistance.

Russia is trying to increase its influence across the continent. The French drawdown gives it a great opportunity to do so.

Islamist violence continues as the governments struggle to combat the root causes of violence and exert control far from their capitals.