Western Withdrawal, Jihadist Expansion: How the Sahel Became Ground Zero for Global Terrorism

On April 25, jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and Tuareg separatists launched coordinated attacks on military installations across Mali, targeting locations including Bamako, Gao, Mopti, and Kidal. The attacks represent an escalation in a deteriorating security situation that Western governments have increasingly distanced themselves from.