An unprecedented alliance between the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), a separatist movement, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has transformed the conflict in northern Mali. On April 25, 2026, the two groups launched a coordinated offensive that expanded fighting across key northern regions including Kidal, Anefis, Tilemsi, Gao, and Sevare. This campaign presents the most significant challenge in years to both the Malian army and Russia’s Africa Corps, the Kremlin-backed force that replaced the Wagner Group in Mali.

The conflict, which had previously involved multiple armed groups fighting the Malian state, has entered a new phase marked by simultaneous assaults, ambushes, drone strikes, and attacks on military convoys. Both the FLA and JNIM claim substantial battlefield gains.

The FLA remains committed to the independence of Azawad, the name separatists use for northern Mali, a position reiterated by Colonel Mohamed Issa, a senior FLA officer. He stated that previous peace agreements failed because successive governments in Bamako did not honor them. The FLA traces its origins to separatist movements that declared Azawad's independence during the 2012 rebellion, a claim unrecognized by Mali and the international community.

JNIM frames the conflict as part of a campaign to "liberate" Mali and overthrow the government, which it accuses of relying on Russian forces. Colonel Issa noted that the JNIM fighters allied with the FLA are exclusively Azawadis, motivated primarily by defending their communities against the Malian army and Russian "mercenaries."

This partnership emerged following the collapse of the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement, which aimed to end years of fighting through decentralization and political representation but saw repeated implementation failures. Additionally, successive military coups after 2020 have reshaped Mali’s political leadership and security strategy, further complicating the conflict.

Sources:

  • Al Jazeera, "Why Mali’s northern conflict has entered a dangerous new phase," July 27, 2026. Read more