In West Africa power grab, JNIM lays waste to Islamic principles

In the same way that al-Qaeda once expanded its control in Afghanistan, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) is attempting to enlarge its West Africa footprint through a ruthless campaign of violence.

The al-Qaeda-affiliate seeks to position itself as one of the most serious security threats in the Sahel region, experts told Salaam Times.

Operating primarily in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, JNIM has intensified its armed attacks, bombings, kidnappings and extortion, Austria-based Afghan political researcher Ghulam Nabi Dastgir told Salaam Times.

JNIM abducts civilians, journalists, government officials and foreigners, demanding large ransoms, he said. "If the ransom is not paid, the victims may be beaten or even killed."

It competes for influence with rival "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS), escalating violence while trying to build tribal alliances, said Germany-based Afghan political analyst Dost Muhammad Abedi.

"France, the United States and the United Nations (UN) play a key role in supporting regional countries in the fight against terrorism," he told Salaam Times.

The UN Security Council's analytical support and sanctions monitoring team says al-Qaeda has a strong presence in southwestern Libya, where it maintains logistical and financial networks to support Sahel-based affiliates like JNIM.

Authorities dismantled a JNIM-linked Libyan cell in July that had been supplying the group with satellite communications equipment, the February 6 report said.

Deceptive narrative

JNIM employs propaganda tactics, positioning itself as a defender of marginalized populations while denouncing alleged security force abuses in an attempt legitimize its narrative, the report said.

Dastgir warned that JNIM has developed recruitment strategies, using social media platforms to spread extremist ideology and attract disillusioned youth through local language messaging and false economic promises.

"Religious scholars and local leaders can play a crucial role in countering JNIM’s extremist propaganda," he said. "Forming alliances with tribal elders and religious figures can help reduce public support for the group."

"Attacking mosques, schools and public infrastructure goes against Islamic principles, which emphasize security, development and freedom of belief," said Kabul-based religious scholar Mawlawi Mohammad Salim Amini.

"Yet al-Qaeda forces people to accept its extremist views through coercion."

"Repeated attacks on government facilities and public infrastructure limit access to essential services," Mazar-e-Sharif civil society activist Khairullah Watandost told Salaam Times.

"Terrorist groups misuse Islam's name to create chaos and disorder," Amini said, stressing that JNIM's actions go against Islamic principles of peace and justice.