The United States is believed close to reaching an agreement with Mali that would allow American aircraft and drones to resume intelligence operations against jihadist groups operating in the Sahel country. The Americans want to monitor jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, particularly Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which has significantly expanded its presence across the Sahel. In the Sahel’s vast terrain, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities are of particular operational importance. Armed groups routinely move across porous borders and remote areas where government presence is limited. Therefore, deploying aerial surveillance will help identify militant networks, tracking movements between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, and supporting targeted counterterrorism operations.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 12, 2026 12:50 UTC