Alliance of Sahel States launches airstrikes in Mali after jihadist attacks
Updated
Updated · Africanews English · May 1
Alliance of Sahel States launches airstrikes in Mali after jihadist attacks
6 articles · Updated · Africanews English · May 1
Niger said the strikes followed 25 April attacks in Gao, Menaka and Kidal, where jihadists and Tuareg separatists seized Kidal and killed Mali's Defence Minister Sadio Camara.
The AES force of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger was expanded from 5,000 to 15,000 troops in mid-April, and Burkina Faso's defence minister vowed at Camara's funeral to hunt down the attackers.
The assault has deepened Mali's security crisis involving Russian paramilitary backers, while Niger hosted a solidarity rally, accused France of backing the attacks, and cancelled 1 May parades for security.
With Mali’s top general dead and Kidal lost, what is the true price of the Sahel's pivot to Moscow?
Can the Sahel's new military alliance survive now that its Russian backers have been routed by a powerful insurgency?
AES Military Response to 2026 Sahel Offensive: Loss of Kidal and Death of Malian Defence Minister
Overview
In early 2026, jihadist and separatist forces launched a coordinated offensive in northern Mali, killing Defence Minister Sadio Camara and capturing the strategic town of Kidal. This offensive exposed serious weaknesses in the Malian military and forced the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—to respond with joint airstrikes and a large troop deployment. The AES was formed in 2023 after a series of military coups and a shared rejection of Western influence, pivoting instead toward Russian support. However, reduced Russian combat involvement and internal challenges have weakened the AES's efforts, while ongoing insurgent attacks and political isolation deepen the region’s security and humanitarian crises.