Mali's al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has offered a €2 million reward for information leading to the capture of President Assimi Goita and €1 million for two top military officials. The move follows a similar bounty placed by the Malian government on JNIM leader Iyad Ag Ghaly.
The reciprocal bounty offers highlight the escalating conflict and deep distrust between the Malian government and al Qaeda-affiliated insurgents, potentially increasing violence and instability in the region.
Mali's al Qaeda affiliate, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has offered a €2 million reward for information leading to the whereabouts of President Assimi Goita, who leads the government established after coups in 2020 and 2021. The group also offered €1 million each for information on Colonel Lassina Diallo and General Malik Dicko.
The insurgents described the Malian government as an illegitimate entity. This bounty offer follows a similar move by the Malian government, which had previously offered millions of euros for information on JNIM leader Iyad Ag Ghaly and other militant figures.
The JNIM statement was shared by the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors global jihadist communications. Al Qaeda-linked attacks in April, which resulted in the death of Mali's defense minister, have intensified fighting across the country's northern desert regions, increasing the potential for armed groups to make significant gains.