Shield and Alert: Sahel Bound

Kayes in western Mali will continue under a nighttime curfew throughout October, as authorities respond to a series of attacks by armed groups and work to limit the threat of insurgent violence.

Factories that once hummed with activity along Mauritania’s Atlantic coast now stand silent, their doors shut as fish stocks plunge and communities struggle to adapt. In Morocco, the warning signs are just as stark—sardine landings in key southern ports have nearly halved, and locals worry that they might soon face the same fate as their neighbors to the south.

Diplomatic ties between Mali and France have sharply deteriorated after Mali detained a French national on coup-plotting charges, leading France to expel two Malian diplomats and suspend joint counterterrorism efforts. In response, Mali expelled five French embassy staff, ending a lengthy era of security cooperation between the two countries.