Mali offers €3m reward to capture JNIM leader
The Malian authorities have announced an unprecedented €3 million reward for credible information leading to the capture or elimination of Iyad Ag Ghaly, the head of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated organization. This bold move comes amid escalating security challenges across the country.
Iyad Ag Ghaly: the Sahel’s most wanted figure
In a televised statement, Malian officials detailed the €3 million reward for verified information about Iyad Ag Ghaly. Once a prominent Tuareg rebel leader, he now leads JNIM, which has spearheaded a decade-long jihadist insurgency across the Sahel. Ag Ghaly faces UN sanctions, is on the U.S. wanted list, and holds an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Additional bounties on key jihadist leaders
Bamako has also set price tags on six other armed group commanders. Among them are Amadou Kouffa, a senior JNIM figure, along with Alghabass Ag Intalla and Bilal Ag Cherif, leaders of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). Authorities accuse these individuals of orchestrating deadly attacks against state forces.
A response to rising militant violence
This announcement follows coordinated attacks in late April by JNIM and FLA allies on multiple Malian military positions. The offensives marked a sharp escalation in the conflict, resulting in the death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, a key figure in the military regime.
- military regime Mali
- jihadist attacks Mali
- Mali
- Assimi Goïta
- JNIM
- Azawad Liberation Front
