The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) have carried out a large-scale operation in the Kayes region, targeting armed terrorist groups in the districts of Diéma and Nioro in the Sahel.
The offensive, launched on September 6, 2025, led to the destruction of several jihadist bases, the neutralization of fighters, and the seizure of a significant cache of weapons and logistical equipment.
Authorities said the operation marks a decisive step in efforts to secure the Bamako-Kayes corridor, a vital route for the transport of petroleum, cement, food, and manufactured goods.
The operation followed the release of six Senegalese truck drivers who had been kidnapped two days earlier by jihadist groups while transporting goods between Senegal and Mali.
The Senegalese Road Transport Union confirmed their safe return and condemned the abduction as a serious attack on workers’ safety and regional mobility.
The incident underscores the fragile security situation in western Mali, where the Al-Qaeda-linked group Jamaat Nosrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has recently imposed blockades on Kayes and several key roads in the Nioro district.
