MaliKey figures
Who is fighting
Government of Mali (transitional military government) and allies
- Malian Armed Forces (FAMa)
- Russia's Africa Corps (ex-Wagner)
- Dozo and Dan Na Ambassagou militias
- Alliance of Sahel States partners (Burkina Faso, Niger air support)
- Russia
- Turkey (drones)
- China
- Algeria (mediation; reported support in 2026)
- United States (renewed security cooperation, 2026)
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)
- JNIM (Iyad Ag Ghali, Amadou Koufa)
- Katiba Macina
- Al-Qaeda
Azawad Liberation Front (FLA)
- FLA (Bilal Ag Acherif), successor to the CSP-DPA coalition of Tuareg and Arab movements
- Ukraine (intelligence/training alleged by Mali, 2024)
Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP)
- Islamic State Sahel Province
- Islamic State
Force sizes are estimates of personnel or fighters, usually from IISS, government statements or specialist reporting; irregular forces are especially hard to count. "(reported)" marks external support that the backer disputes or has not confirmed.
Background
A Tuareg rebellion and jihadist takeover of northern Mali in 2012 triggered a French intervention (2013), a UN mission (MINUSMA) and the 2015 Algiers peace accord with Tuareg-led separatist groups. Jihadist groups regrouped as JNIM (al-Qaeda, 2017) and the Islamic State Sahel Province, spreading the war into central Mali and neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Coups in 2020 and 2021 brought Col. Assimi Goïta to power; the junta expelled France (2022) and MINUSMA (2023), hired Wagner (later Russia's Africa Corps), scrapped the Algiers accord and retook Kidal in November 2023. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger formed the Alliance of Sahel States and left ECOWAS in January 2025.
JNIM declared a fuel blockade of Bamako in September 2025 and, after a lull, launched its largest offensive on 25 April 2026 together with the FLA (the separatists' successor front formed in late 2024). A car bomb killed Defence Minister Sadio Camara at Kati; the FLA retook Kidal, Tessalit and Aguelhok as Africa Corps withdrew under Algerian-mediated terms; IS Sahel briefly took Labbezanga. JNIM announced a full blockade of Bamako on 28 April and in May turned on Dozo hunter militias in Mopti and Ségou; Goïta made himself defence minister. The army recaptured Anéfis in July at heavy cost, JNIM seized Kouakourou and attacked San, and on 10 September overran the Dioura camp, killing more than 100 soldiers and five Russians and capturing 92. Prisoner exchanges with the FLA freed over 140 soldiers in August.
On 6 October 2026 the FLA announced a 'strategic withdrawal' from Kidal, blaming Africa Corps air power, and the army re-entered the town. The Bamako blockade continues: Mali imports 95% of its fuel by road and more than 300 tankers have been destroyed; convoys move only under escort. Amnesty International has documented war crimes by Malian soldiers and Wagner against civilians (at least 34 killed in seven incidents, 2023-2025); ACLED data show Burkinabe and Malian forces killing more civilians than the jihadists in 2025.
Recent developments
- 6 October 2026Mali's army retakes Kidal with Russian support after the FLA announces a 'strategic and controlled withdrawal', citing Africa Corps airstrikes. source ↗
- 27 September 2026JNIM ambush near Niono kills at least seven soldiers including three or four Russians. source ↗
- 20 September 2026JNIM claims strikes on air-defence systems and Russian helicopters at Sévaré airport and 33 pro-government forces killed at Sévaré and Konna (unverified). source ↗
- 10 September 2026JNIM attack on the Dioura army base kills at least 100 soldiers and five Africa Corps personnel; 92 soldiers captured. source ↗
- 30 August 2026UK FCDO keeps an all-travel warning as JNIM fuel blockades squeeze Bamako; over 300 tankers destroyed and over 1,000 escorted into the capital since the blockade began. source ↗
- 13 August 2026Mali says 82 soldiers captured by armed groups have been freed. source ↗
- 17 July 2026FLA ambushes a convoy returning from Anéfis, reportedly killing 50 soldiers and taking 20 prisoners. source ↗
Timeline
- 16 January 2012Tuareg MNLA rebellion begins; a coup follows in March and jihadists seize the north.
- 11 January 2013France launches Operation Serval; MINUSMA deploys in July.
- 2 March 2017Four jihadist groups merge into JNIM under Iyad Ag Ghali.
- 18 August 2020Military coup; a second coup in May 2021 installs Assimi Goïta.
- 14 November 2023Malian army and Wagner retake Kidal from Tuareg separatists; MINUSMA leaves by December.
- 30 November 2024Separatist coalition reorganises as the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA).
- 3 September 2025JNIM declares a fuel blockade on Bamako.
- 25 April 2026JNIM and FLA launch coordinated attacks on Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao, Sévaré and Mopti; Defence Minister Sadio Camara killed.
- 27 April 2026Africa Corps and the army withdraw from Kidal, Tessalit, Aguelhok, Tessit and Labbezanga; JNIM announces a Bamako blockade on 28 April.
- 17 July 2026FLA ambush on a convoy returning from Anéfis kills about 50 soldiers; JNIM takes Kouakourou the next day.
- 13 August 2026FLA frees 82 Malian prisoners of war; a further swap follows in late August.
- 10 September 2026JNIM overruns the Dioura camp: more than 100 soldiers and five Russians killed, 92 captured.
- 6 October 2026FLA withdraws from Kidal; Malian troops and Africa Corps re-enter the city.
Casualties and displacement in detail
| Measure | Low | High | What the figure covers · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total killed (cumulative) | 20,000 | – | Approximate total killed since 2012 (Wikipedia compilation); includes 58 French, 311 UN and 127+ Wagner personnel. ACLED's three-country Sahel total exceeded 10,000 in January-November 2025 alone. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Combatants killed | – | – | Not published by the junta. Documented 2026 losses include ~23 at Kati (25 April), ~30 at Anéfis (July), 50 in a convoy ambush (17 July), 100+ at Dioura (10 September) and at least 7 incl. Russians near Niono (27 September). en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Civilians killed | – | – | No total; Amnesty documented at least 34 civilians killed by Malian soldiers and Wagner in seven incidents (2023-2025); ACLED found state forces killed more civilians than jihadists in 2025. acleddata.com ↗ |
| Wounded | – | – | Not recorded. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Deaths in the last 12 months | 1,000 | – | Conservative floor from documented 2026 incident tolls (see militaryKilled) plus verified civilian deaths; the true figure is far higher. ACLED counted over 10,000 deaths across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in January-November 2025. acleddata.com ↗ |
| Internally displaced | 230,000 | – | ~230,000 IDPs (undated compilation); IOM figures in 2024-2025 were around 350,000-400,000 and the 2026 offensives emptied towns such as Kouakourou. en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
| Refugees abroad | 144,000 | – | Malian refugees abroad, mainly in Mauritania, Niger and Burkina Faso (undated compilation). en.wikipedia.org ↗ |
Intensity classification: ACLED recorded over 10,000 deaths from political violence across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger between 1 January and 28 November 2025; no Mali-only 2026 total is published. Documented 2026 incidents in Mali alone (Kati 23; Anéfis ~130; a convoy ambush 50; Dioura 100+ soldiers; San, Niono and others) exceed 1,000 even before unverified claims of 1,000+ insurgents killed by Africa Corps..
Countries affected
Frequently asked questions
Who is fighting in the Mali war (JNIM, Islamic State Sahel and Azawad rebels vs the junta and Russia's Africa Corps)?
Government of Mali (transitional military government) and allies (Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), Russia's Africa Corps (ex-Wagner), Dozo and Dan Na Ambassagou militias, Alliance of Sahel States partners (Burkina Faso, Niger air support)), supported by Russia, Turkey (drones), China, Algeria (mediation; reported support in 2026); against Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) (JNIM (Iyad Ag Ghali, Amadou Koufa), Katiba Macina), supported by Al-Qaeda; against Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) (FLA (Bilal Ag Acherif), successor to the CSP-DPA coalition of Tuareg and Arab movements), supported by Ukraine (intelligence/training alleged by Mali, 2024); against Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) (Islamic State Sahel Province), supported by Islamic State.
How many people have been killed?
Estimates range from 20,000+ killed as of 6 October 2026. Approximate total killed since 2012 (Wikipedia compilation); includes 58 French, 311 UN and 127+ Wagner personnel. ACLED's three-country Sahel total exceeded 10,000 in January-November 2025 alone. Figures come from the sources listed on this page and differ in method; see the caveats above.
Is the Mali war (JNIM, Islamic State Sahel and Azawad rebels vs the junta and Russia's Africa Corps) still ongoing in 2026?
Status as of 19 October 2026: Active fighting — Mali's 14-year war escalated sharply on 25 April 2026 when the al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and the Tuareg-led Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) launched coordinated attacks on Bamako, Kati, Gao, Sévaré, Mopti and Kidal, killing the defence minister and forcing the army and Russia's Africa Corps out of most of the Kidal region. JNIM has since blockaded fuel and road traffic into Bamako, overran the Dioura base in September (100+ soldiers killed), and continues to attack Africa Corps units; the army, with Russian air support, retook Kidal on 6 October 2026 after the FLA withdrew.
When did it start?
The current phase began on 16 January 2012, but the underlying conflict dates back to 1990 — 14 years, 9 months ago.
Sources
- Wikipedia — 2026 Mali offensives en.wikipedia.org
- CFR Global Conflict Tracker — Violent extremism in the Sahel cfr.org
- ACLED — Economic warfare escalates as militants expand beyond the Sahel acleddata.com
- ACLED — Battle for Anéfis (April 2026) acleddata.com
- Le Monde — 'We are blocking Bamako' (April 2026) lemonde.fr
- Crisis Group — JNIM and the dilemma of expansion beyond the Sahel crisisgroup.org
- Wikipedia — Mali War en.wikipedia.org
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Glostats. (2026). Mali war — Casualties, Forces & Timeline (2026). Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/conflicts/mali-jihadist-and-azawad-war/<a href="https://glostats.com/conflicts/mali-jihadist-and-azawad-war/">Mali war — Casualties, Forces & Timeline (2026)</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
This page summarises publicly available reporting and does not take sides. Casualty and force figures are estimates compiled on 19 October 2026; see each figure's source for its method and date. Page generated 2026-10-20. How this tracker works.