Once a Tuareg rebel and seasoned Malian diplomat, Iyad Ag Ghaly now commands the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an alliance formed in 2017 that has become the most formidable jihadist threat in the Sahel.
His name tops the list of the world’s most wanted terrorists. The United Nations has imposed sanctions on him, the United States labels him a global terrorist, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant, charging him with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Mali is grappling with its worst security crisis in years, following coordinated attacks on April 25 and 26 by JNIM fighters in partnership with the predominantly Tuareg Azauad Liberation Front (FLA). These assaults targeted key military positions across multiple regions, marking an unprecedented escalation in the conflict.
The offensive claimed the life of Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, a 47-year-old architect of the current Bamako-based junta, who died in a suicide bombing during the clashes.
In an urgent national broadcast aired Thursday, the Malian government announced a financial reward for information leading to the capture or elimination of six high-profile figures. Among them are JNIM’s second-in-command, Amadou Kouffa—eligible for a €2.2 million bounty—and two FLA leaders, Alghabass Ag Intalla and Bilal Ag Cherif.
The statement from the Ministry of Security and Civil Protection underscores the gravity of the threat: “These individuals are sought for their alleged roles in orchestrating and executing terror attacks that have endangered lives and property nationwide.”
Since 2012, Mali has been trapped in a spiraling security emergency, fuelled by the violent campaigns of JNIM, the Islamic State affiliate, and a patchwork of community-based armed groups.
