Al-Qaeda affiliate places €2 million bounty on Mali's military ruler Assimi Goïta
Mali's security crisis has taken a dramatic new turn after the country's main al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group offered millions of euros for information leading to the capture or killing of the nation's military leadership.
Black News 
Mali's security crisis has taken a dramatic new turn after the country's main al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group offered millions of euros for information leading to the capture or killing of the nation's military leadership.
- Mali's main al-Qaeda-linked group JNIM has offered €4 million in rewards for information on the country's military leadership.
- Specific bounties include €2 million for the whereabouts of military ruler Assimi Goïta and €1 million each for Colonel Lassina Diallo and General Malik Dicko.
- JNIM's move is a direct response to the Malian government's recent $3.5 million bounty on top jihadist leaders.
- The security crisis has deepened with rising militant attacks following the withdrawal of French and UN forces.
Mali's security crisis has taken a dramatic new turn after the country's main al-Qaeda-linked insurgent group offered millions of euros for information leading to the capture or killing of the nation's military leadership.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the al-Qaeda affiliate that has become one of the most powerful jihadist groups operating in the Sahel, announced rewards totalling €4 million for information on key figures in Mali's ruling military government, according to Reuters.
According to a statement circulated by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist communications, JNIM is offering €2 million for information leading to the whereabouts of Mali's military ruler, Assimi Goïta. The group also announced separate €1 million rewards for information on Colonel Lassina Diallo and General Malik Dicko.
The insurgent group described Mali's government as illegitimate and said rewards would be paid to anyone providing information on the officials' locations or taking concrete action to "neutralise" them.
The move appears to be a direct response to a recent $3.5 million bounty announced by Mali's government for information leading to the capture of JNIM leader Iyad Ag Ghaly and other senior militant commanders.
Rising militant influence
The announcement comes amid a resurgence of militant activity across northern and central Mali. Earlier this year, attacks linked to al-Qaeda-affiliated fighters reportedly killed senior military figures and triggered fresh clashes across large parts of the country's desert north.
Since seizing power through coups in 2020 and 2021, Goïta's military government has pledged to restore security and reclaim territory from armed groups. However, jihadist organisations continue to operate across vast stretches of Mali and the wider Sahel region.
The security situation has become increasingly complex following the withdrawal of French forces and the departure of the United Nations peacekeeping mission. Analysts warn that militant groups have used the vacuum to strengthen their operations, raising concerns about stability not only in Mali but across neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
