Issued on: 02/05/2026 - 20:44Modified: 04/05/2026 - 15:47

As Mali's military struggles to maintain control amid a growing jihadist insurgency, a number of its own soldiers have been arrested, accused of collaborating with al Qaeda-linked militants in coordinating widespread attacks. The Islamist group JNIM, alongside separatist Tuareg rebels, has reportedly seized two northern cities, killed the defence minister and is now attempting to impose a blockade on the capital, Bamako.

We take a closer look at what's happening on the ground in Mali, the escalating security crisis and the role of Russian mercenaries in supporting the government.

FRANCE 24's Gavin Lee is joined by Beverley Ochieng, a specialist in West Africa and political risk analyst at Control Risks, to share her expertise.

Produced by Gavin Lee, Andrew Hilliar, Maya Yataghene and Guillaume Gougeon

Related keywords

The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore.