security upfront Bound

French Nationals Urged to Leave Mali as Insurgent Attacks Intensify in the Sahel

Defense ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met in Niamey to accelerate their joint military alliance, but no deployment date was confirmed. France is advising nationals to leave Mali “temporarily” amid deteriorating security, while international shipping companies hesitate to continue cargo routes. November 7 brought reports of multiple attacks by insurgents, further highlighting the region’s instability.

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Mali: Bamako Strikes Back as JNIM Expands Its Rule

Mali’s military launched air raids in Ségou just days after jihadists announced new sharia‑based restrictions and widened their blockade. The standoff now defines who controls the roads, fuel, and daily life in central Mali.

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Africa: New Warning of Evolving Hybrid Threats Linking Terrorism, Crime, and Climate Pressures Across Africa

Mauritania is warning that Africa’s security landscape is shifting from ideological insurgencies to profit-driven “religious-front criminal enterprises,” describing how jihadist networks have merged with organized crime.

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Washington Returns to Libya’s Frontlines in Bid to Counter Russia and Reunify Militias

The United States is reengaging in Libya through Flintlock 2026, a major U.S. Africa Command exercise set for next spring near Sirte. The training will bring together Libya’s rival eastern and western forces for the first time since 2011, signaling a renewed American role in efforts to unify the country’s military, counter extremist threats, and curb Russian influence in North Africa.

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