Mali’s government has announced financial rewards worth millions of dollars for information leading to the capture of suspected militant leaders, following a series of deadly attacks linked to armed groups operating in the country’s north and central regions.
The move comes after al-Qaeda-linked attacks in April that killed the defence minister and wounded other senior officials, triggering renewed insecurity across the country’s vast desert territory and raising concerns about potential territorial gains by insurgent groups.
According to a government order signed in Bamako by Major General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, authorities are offering 2 billion CFA francs (about US$3.55 million) for credible information leading to the capture of Iyad Ag Ghaly, the leader of the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM).
Smaller rewards have also been announced for information on other high-profile figures, including Tuareg separatist leader Alghabass Ag Intalla.
Officials say the initiative is part of a broader effort to disrupt militant networks responsible for repeated attacks on civilians, security forces and state infrastructure.
The announcement underscores the worsening security situation in Mali, where armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State have expanded their operations in recent years, particularly in rural and northern regions.
Security analysts say the targeting of senior government officials in the April attacks marked a significant escalation, highlighting both the reach and coordination capabilities of insurgent groups operating in the Sahel.
The reward programme is intended to encourage local intelligence-sharing and weaken militant leadership structures, which rely heavily on concealment in remote desert and forest regions.
However, experts caution that similar initiatives in the past across the Sahel have had mixed results, given the difficulty of verifying intelligence and the risks faced by civilians cooperating with authorities in conflict zones.
Mali continues to face a complex security crisis marked by overlapping insurgencies, ethnic tensions and shifting alliances among armed groups.
Despite ongoing military operations and international support in previous years, large parts of the country remain contested, with frequent attacks on security forces and civilian populations.
The government says it remains committed to restoring stability and reasserting control over affected regions, but the latest escalation highlights the persistent challenges facing Mali’s counterinsurgency efforts.
