The United States government is considering military options in the West African nation of Mali over the presence of Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, Mali would be the eighth nation struck by the US military since US President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025, which as of now includes Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, and Venezuela.
The report cited several anonymous officials and former officials, who described National Security Council Senior Director for Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka as supporting the potential strikes.
The group in question, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), was designated a terrorist organization by the US in 2018, according to the Director of National Intelligence website.
While primarily based in Mali, the over 6,000-strong group is also active in other West African nations, such as Niger and Nigeria, the website noted.
The report described Gorka as highly supportive of aggressive counterterrorism policies, having been involved in efforts to kill Al-Qaeda affiliate Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi in Algeria.
The Washington Post reached out to Gorka and a spokesperson for the Mali government for comment, but did not receive a response.
White House describes JNIM as a ‘multinational problem’
Additionally, the Pentagon declined to comment, though a White House official noted that the Trump administration has been urging affected African states “to purchase US equipment and services to support their war efforts against the terrorists,” describing the issue as a “multinational problem.”
“We urge regional partners and NATO allies to support the Alliance of Sahel States in their war against JNIM and ISIS,” the official told The Washington Post.
The official further noted Russia’s lack of assistance in the region, despite Russia’s status as Mali’s security partner.
“We hope that other African nations take note of Russia’s terrible performance in combating terrorism,” the official said.
The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to a Washington Post request for comment.
The State Department was also asked for comment on any potential military operation, responding that the US “unequivocally condemns the terrorist activity in Mali.”
An independent expert on the region, Corinne Dufka, told The Washington Post that any US action in Mali has the potential to backfire and lead to JNIM targeting of American citizens.
“They [the US] could be squandering an opportunity to de-radicalize and demobilize one of the world’s most sophisticated jihadist organizations,” said Dufka.
