Massive reward offered to capture Mali’s most wanted jihadist leader
The Malian authorities have unveiled an unprecedented financial incentive: a two-billion-franc CFA reward for any credible tip leading to the capture or elimination of Iyad Ag Ghaly, the emir of the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), Al-Qaeda’s Sahel affiliate.
Iyad Ag Ghaly: the Sahel’s most elusive fugitive
In a nationwide broadcast, Malian officials announced the staggering reward following a sharp escalation in security threats across the country. Ag Ghaly, a former Tuareg rebel commander, has transformed from a regional insurgent into the architect of a decade-long jihadist campaign ravaging the Sahel. His name appears on international sanction lists, including those from the UN, the US, and the ICC, where he faces warrants for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Expanded bounty targets key insurgent figures
The Malian government has extended its manhunt to six other armed group leaders. Among them are Amadou Kouffa, a senior JNIM strategist, and two prominent figures from the Azawad Liberation Front: Alghabass Ag Intalla and Bilal Ag Cherif. Authorities allege these commanders orchestrated and executed coordinated attacks against state security forces.
Rewards follow deadly militant offensive
The announcement comes in the wake of coordinated assaults carried out in late April by JNIM operatives and their Azawad allies on multiple military installations. These attacks marked a critical escalation in the conflict, culminating in the death of Defense Minister Sadio Camara, a key figure in the current transitional government.
