The United States is believed close to reaching an agreement with Mali that would allow American aircraft and drones to resume intelligence operations against jihadist groups operating in the Sahel country.
According to press reports, the move shows plans to return to the Sahel region after years of disengagement, leaving Russia, China and Turkey to step in and expand their influence.
The Americans want to monitor jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda, particularly Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), which has significantly expanded its presence across the Sahel.
In February, the United States took an initial political step toward this arrangement by lifting sanctions on several senior Malian officials, including the defence minister, who had previously been accused of maintaining ties with Russian mercenary networks.
In the Sahel’s vast terrain, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities are of particular operational importance. Armed groups routinely move across porous borders and remote areas where government presence is limited.
Therefore, deploying aerial surveillance will help identify militant networks, tracking movements between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, and supporting targeted counterterrorism operations.
