Bamako – African Perceptions
The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, issued an official statement on June 9, 2025, declaring the withdrawal of Russian Wagner forces from Mali as an “admission of defeat” and a direct result of “mujahedeen victories” against both Malian and Russian troops.
Published on a website affiliated with the group, the statement challenges the Malian government’s past denials of Wagner’s presence, claiming the retreat exposes the “falsehood of Bamako’s narrative about sovereignty.” The group cited its battlefield gains in areas such as Bandiagara, Sévaré, Timbuktu, and Tin-Ghait as evidence of pressure that forced Wagner’s exit.
The statement also asserts that the “coalition of aggression in the Sahel is collapsing,” calling on the region’s populations to “mobilize to expel all foreign occupiers” and to establish a “legitimate system based on Islamic Sharia.”
In its conclusion, JNIM warned Russia and its allies against re-engaging militarily in the Sahel, citing the “Soviet failure in Afghanistan” as a lesson, and framing the next stage as a “battle of patience and endurance.”
🔍
Background
The statement follows the recent announcement of Wagner’s drawdown from Mali after more than three years of activity under an informal security arrangement with Mali’s transitional authorities. The development has sparked speculation over the future of Russian influence in the region, as insecurity worsens across northern and central Mali
