As global attention remains fixed on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Sahel region of Africa is sliding deeper into a deadly and largely overlooked crisis.
Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—are struggling to contain escalating jihadist violence while tightening their grip on power and silencing dissent.
Initially rising to power through a series of coups between 2020 and 2023, these juntas pledged to restore order and eradicate terrorism.
Yet, the region has become the epicenter of jihadist violence on the continent. According to recent figures, over 11,200 people died from extremist violence in 2024 alone—three times the number recorded in 2021.
That figure excludes more than 2,400 civilians reportedly killed by national forces and their Russian allies.
In Mali, after the 2023 expulsion of UN peacekeeping forces, armed confrontations surged.
A dramatic ambush in Tinzaouaten in July 2024 led to the deaths of roughly 140 Malian soldiers and 80 Russian mercenaries. Jihadist attacks on key infrastructure continued into 2025, highlighting the regime’s waning territorial control.
Civilian casualties have mounted, including from state-led drone strikes.
Burkina Faso presents an equally grim picture. With 60% of its territory under jihadist control, military leaders have armed civilian militias, some of whom are accused of mass atrocities. Human Rights Watch reported the execution of 223 civilians in a single day by pro-government forces.
In retaliation, jihadists have escalated attacks, pushing the country further into chaos.
Niger, though slightly more stable, is also deteriorating. In 2024 alone, it suffered 51 armed assaults on state forces.
The Islamic State in the Greater Sahara has staged several brutal attacks, including a mosque massacre that left 44 dead in March 2025.
Amid this turmoil, political transitions have stalled. In Mali, the military extended its initial 18-month timeline to a possible nine-year rule ending in 2029.
Burkina Faso has adopted a 60-month transition, while Niger’s junta also plans to rule for at least five years.
These regimes have simultaneously waged a war on information. Independent and foreign media have been banned or expelled, journalists harassed or detained, and civil society suppressed.
In Mali, major outlets like RFI and France 24 were removed, and coverage of political parties has been outlawed.
Burkina Faso followed suit, with increasing control of press content and even intimidation of exiled media. Niger, too, has shut down opposition voices and detained former officials without trial.
The narrative tightly managed by these regimes contrasts starkly with on-the-ground realities. While official statements claim territorial gains, research indicates that jihadist groups continue to dominate vast stretches of the Sahel.
In this climate of fear, manipulation, and repression, the international community remains largely silent. But silence is not peace—and in the Sahel, it conceals a spiraling crisis that demands urgent global attention.
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