Shield and Alert: Sahel Bound

A tactical thaw in the Sahel is reshaping Algeria’s ties with Mali, but the deeper conflict over northern Mali remains unresolved.

FAO monitoring shows Northwest Africa entering a new phase of desert locust activity, with Morocco facing the highest pressure and neighboring countries preparing for possible summer migrations toward Sahelian breeding zones.

Mali’s JNIM-FLA alliance has pushed into its sixth day of fighting for Anéfis after ambushing a Malian-Russian convoy near Tabrichat and downing a helicopter, as a second relief convoy heads toward the besieged garrison.

Bamako is facing mounting pressure as jihadist group JNIM expands its campaign beyond military operations and increasingly targets the economic lifelines connecting Mali’s capital to the rest of West Africa. Attacks on highways, freight traffic, and commercial transport corridors have disrupted trade, affected regional commerce, and raised concerns about the government’s ability to maintain security and economic stability.