The United States is making a fresh move to help Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso confront the jihadist threat that Russia has struggled to contain despite years of deepening military involvement across the Sahel.
US Representative Jimmy Panetta has introduced the bipartisan Mali Security Partnership and Counterterrorism Act alongside Republican Representative Joe Wilson, signalling a fresh US attempt to re-engage a Sahel region where jihadist groups have expanded and Russia has gained ground.
The legislation would require the State Department to draw up a diplomatic strategy against al-Qaeda and affiliated groups in Mali, while assessing the wider security consequences for Niger and Burkina Faso.
The push comes as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, strengthens its position across West Africa.
A recent UN assessment estimated that the al-Qaeda affiliate has between 7,000 and 8,000 fighters and now operates beyond Mali in Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Togo.
“Mali cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader security challenges facing the Sahel,” Panetta said.
He said Washington needs a clearer picture of how militant groups “expand their influence, move resources across borders, and exploit instability”.
Under the proposal, US officials would assess JNIM’s reach, strength and regional links, as well as how armed groups exploit poverty, displacement, ethnic tensions and weak governance to recruit.
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That expansion is also being fuelled by access to money. A UN assessment cited by* Reuters *estimated that a $50 million hostage ransom paid in late 2025 helped finance JNIM operations across the region.
The legislation would also examine militant revenue from Mali’s gold sector and illicit trade, including extortion, smuggling, coercive taxation and protection payments.
Beyond militant financing, the legislation also pushes Washington to respond to Russia’s growing influence in a region where the US and other Western powers have lost significant ground.
Russia has backed Mali’s fight against insurgents since Wagner forces arrived in 2021, but the militants remain active despite years of support from Moscow.
In July 2024, Tuareg rebels said they killed 84 Wagner fighters and 47 Malian soldiers near Tinzaouaten, before Moscow shifted much of Wagner’s role to the Africa Corps, now estimated at about 2,000 personnel in Mali.
The losses have continued, with JNIM killing at least 10 Malian soldiers in San on August 9, 2026, while Africa Defense Forum also reported an earlier ambush near Nampala that killed Malian troops and Russian Africa Corps personnel.
The Africa Center estimates that nearly 9,800 deaths linked to militant Islamist groups were recorded across the Sahel over the past year, with JNIM accounting for most militant-linked fatalities.
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have meanwhile formed the Alliance of Sahel States and are developing a 5,000-member joint force to fight insurgents across their borders.
As a counterweight to Moscow’s limited security gains, the proposed legislation would review existing US sanctions, identify diplomatic gaps and assess Russia’s impact on governance, transparency and Western partnerships.
“By requiring a comprehensive assessment of terrorist financing, regional security dynamics, and a coordinated U.S. diplomatic strategy, this legislation will strengthen America’s ability to support regional partners,” Wilson said.
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