Local sources in northern Mali say that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the Al-Qaeda-linked group operating in the Sahel, has released more than 200 Malian soldiers who had been held captive in the Tissit area of Gao Region.
According to the sources, the group provided transportation for the released soldiers and helped facilitate their return to Gao. It also reportedly offered financial assistance to support their journey back to their families.
Sources said JNIM hired two large trucks to transport the soldiers along the Tissit–Ansongo–Gao route. The convoy was reportedly escorted to Ansongo before the former captives continued their journey to Gao.
Many of the released soldiers were reportedly captured during major coordinated attacks launched by JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) on April 25, which resulted in significant losses for Malian government forces in northern Mali.
The latest release follows previous prisoner releases carried out by the group in recent months, a development that some observers view as part of a broader evolution in JNIM’s political and strategic messaging.
In this context, Azawad Liberation Front Secretary-General Bilal Ag Cherif said he had observed what he described as “positive changes” within the group, including greater openness to local interpretations of Islam and increased interest in discussions on reconciliation and stability in Mali.
He added that the group had shown willingness to discuss the country’s future and argued that any lasting settlement in northern Mali would be difficult to achieve without its involvement.
JNIM has previously stated that its immediate objectives include expelling Russian forces from Mali and overthrowing the military authorities that came to power following the 2020 and 2021 coups.
