Update Western Sahel / A powerful, opaque al-Qaeda affiliate is rampaging across West Africa : Rachel Chason and Adrián Blanco Ramos / Washington Post

Article shared by Tom McDermott

Click here for the article.  See AI update from UNICEF , UN and other sources below.

Summary

JNIM, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, is intensifying attacks across the Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), making it the global epicenter of jihadi violence. Exploiting weak governance and instability exacerbated by recent coups, JNIM seeks to establish a Salafi-Islamist state and is expanding its threat towards coastal West African states.

Quotes

"The militant threat is progressively spreading southward towards coastal West African states like Benin and Togo, raising alarms about potential regional instability."

"The Sahel region is now considered the global epicenter of jihadi violence, accounting for over half of all terrorism-related deaths in 2024."

The following update is composed with AI. It builds on the Washington Post article and statements by UNICEF, UN and Human Rights Watch sources.

Click here for UNICEF and additional sources.

As the JNIM Expands Control in the Western Sahel, Child Welfare and Basic Services are in Danger

The growing influence of Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) across the western Sahel has had a marked impact on the region’s civilian population, particularly children. Active in parts of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the group’s territorial expansion has deepened an existing governance and service delivery crisis in one of the world’s most fragile regions.

 JNIM events between 2019 and 2024

Violations Against Children

UN-monitored grave violations against children rose by over 70% in the last quarter of 2023, including killings, maiming, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals. Recruitment of children into armed groups increased by more than 130% during the same period. JNIM has been identified as a primary actor in these trends, drawing in adolescents—some as young as 12—through financial incentives and promises of protection. 

Structural Weakness of State Services 

Governments in the Sahel have long struggled to provide adequate social services, especially in rural and nomadic areas. Even before the rise of JNIM, many communities had limited or no access to public education, healthcare, or infrastructure. These gaps have been exploited by militant groups seeking to fill the vacuum left by the state. 

Education and Health Systems Under Pressure 

Militant attacks and intimidation have forced the closure of hundreds of schools. While in some cases local JNIM commanders have permitted reopenings, these occur under strict and often arbitrary conditions. Health facilities and water infrastructure have also been targeted or restricted, contributing to wider public health and sanitation challenges. Displacement and Loss of Civilian Protection Widespread violence has displaced thousands of families. JNIM's tactics—ranging from direct attacks on villages to the imposition of local rule—have uprooted communities and left children exposed to heightened risks of recruitment and exploitation. 

Access to humanitarian assistance remains limited due to insecurity and the destruction of transport and communication networks. Government Military Responses and Community Impact In response, Sahelian governments have increased military operations, often with support from foreign partners. However, these operations have been criticized for indiscriminate use of force, particularly against nomadic groups such as the Fulani, who are frequently caught in the crossfire. The heavy-handed nature of some responses has deepened mistrust and, in some areas, inadvertently pushed communities closer to militant actors. 

Conclusion 

Expansion of JNIM and militant action across the Sahel reflects both a security threat and a governance failure. Long-standing state neglect, compounded by violent extremism and military crackdowns, has created an environment in which children are increasingly vulnerable to recruitment, displacement, and the loss of essential services. Addressing the crisis will require not only security responses but a renewed focus on governance, development, and protection.