Andrew Lebovich
@andrewlebovich.bsky.social
Research Fellow, Clingendael Institute. Post-doc with with the Danish Institute for International Studies. PhD in African History from Columbia University. Learning and writing about the Sahel, North Africa, and France.
I agree with some of the analysis here, but I'm not convinced JNIM wants to join some kind of tacit or explicit governing coalition for Mali: fr.news.yahoo.com/au-mali-jnim... At most I think they want freedom to move and govern in the areas they control.
Au Mali, le JNIM tente d'asphyxier l'économie "pour déclencher un mécontentement populaire" - Yahoo Actualités France
Sur tout le territoire malien, les blocus jihadistes se multiplient depuis le mois de septembre. Une stratégie d'étranglement de l'économie qui se fait sentir jusqu'à la capitale Bamako et fragilise l...
fr.news.yahoo.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I agree with some of the analysis here, but I'm not convinced JNIM wants to join some kind of tacit or explicit governing coalition for Mali: fr.news.yahoo.com/au-mali-jnim... At most I think they want freedom to move and govern in the areas they control.
What should be clear at this point is that JNIM isn’t prepping for a frontal assault on Bamako, but the blockade will continue in different forms as JNIM continues to more quietly but consistently build its presence especially in Sikasso and Koulikoro.
November 7, 2025 at 12:52 PM
What should be clear at this point is that JNIM isn’t prepping for a frontal assault on Bamako, but the blockade will continue in different forms as JNIM continues to more quietly but consistently build its presence especially in Sikasso and Koulikoro.
Some analysts and journalists are conflating “JNIM wants Mali’s government to fall” with “JNIM wants to take over Bamako and run Mali.” These are not the same thing, and it’s important we remember that and provide evidence and nuance, even as the situation degrades further.
November 1, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Some analysts and journalists are conflating “JNIM wants Mali’s government to fall” with “JNIM wants to take over Bamako and run Mali.” These are not the same thing, and it’s important we remember that and provide evidence and nuance, even as the situation degrades further.
JNIM's fuel blockades in southern Mali are having a number of ripple effects in neighboring countries, including causing an explosion in smuggling and informal prices in Guinea: www.jeuneafrique.com/1733871/poli...
En Guinée, le blocus imposé par le JNIM au Mali fait exploser le trafic de carburant
La stratégie de guerre économique menée par les jihadistes contre Bamako permet aux trafiquants de développer un commerce de contrebande particulièrement lucratif dans les zones minières aurifères.
www.jeuneafrique.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
JNIM's fuel blockades in southern Mali are having a number of ripple effects in neighboring countries, including causing an explosion in smuggling and informal prices in Guinea: www.jeuneafrique.com/1733871/poli...
It is striking to say the least that so many people who made huge efforts to decry and even organize around drone strikes under the Obama administration are basically silent about Trump deciding he has the right to drone any boat in the Caribbean without justification or proof.
October 24, 2025 at 1:25 PM
It is striking to say the least that so many people who made huge efforts to decry and even organize around drone strikes under the Obama administration are basically silent about Trump deciding he has the right to drone any boat in the Caribbean without justification or proof.
This is being framed as the Polisario moving toward Morocco's position, which given the international shifts in recent years is possible: www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/2... But can also be read as Polisario looking for a backdoor way to still have a self-determination referendum.
Sahara occidental: le Polisario «fait un pas vers» le plan d’autonomie proposé par le Maroc
Le Polisario fait « un pas vers les Marocains ». Dans une déclaration à l'AFP, le mouvement indépendantiste sahraoui se dit prêt à accepter le plan d'autonomie du royaume chérifien concernant le Sahar...
https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20251024-sahara-occidental-le-polisario-fait-un-pas-vers-le-plan-d-autonomie-proposé-par-le-maroc
October 24, 2025 at 1:11 PM
This is being framed as the Polisario moving toward Morocco's position, which given the international shifts in recent years is possible: www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/2... But can also be read as Polisario looking for a backdoor way to still have a self-determination referendum.
CBS really shouldn’t be reporting that authorities tracked the phone of the American kidnapped in Niger. That’s the best chance to find him right now, at least until they can get resources overhead to track his movements.
October 22, 2025 at 6:31 PM
CBS really shouldn’t be reporting that authorities tracked the phone of the American kidnapped in Niger. That’s the best chance to find him right now, at least until they can get resources overhead to track his movements.
I’ll go further than this and say there’s no conceivable universe where this guy spent time in the military and a PMC and not one single person recognized that symbol and commented on it.
i liked how Platner was campaigning and I am prepared to believe a young marine could make literally any stupid mistake. but I don't believe a guy could spend twenty years maturing politically the way he has and not know what a death's head means
www.pressherald.com/2025/10/21/g...
www.pressherald.com/2025/10/21/g...
October 22, 2025 at 5:45 PM
I’ll go further than this and say there’s no conceivable universe where this guy spent time in the military and a PMC and not one single person recognized that symbol and commented on it.
Lots of reports now circulating about an American kidnapped in the heart of Niamey. Sends a clear message about the security failings of the government, and ISSP (who likely conducted the kidnapping) remaining focused on kidnapping westerners in a way JNIM has moved away from.
October 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Lots of reports now circulating about an American kidnapped in the heart of Niamey. Sends a clear message about the security failings of the government, and ISSP (who likely conducted the kidnapping) remaining focused on kidnapping westerners in a way JNIM has moved away from.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
yeah it is not “liberal censoriousness” to think that you shouldn’t nominate the guy without the sense to not get a nazi tattoo and then not remove it
October 21, 2025 at 1:27 PM
yeah it is not “liberal censoriousness” to think that you shouldn’t nominate the guy without the sense to not get a nazi tattoo and then not remove it
“My totenkopf tattoo was totally accidental” is a terrible look pretty much no matter how you look at it. Either he knowingly got an SS tat, or he accidentally did but then doesn’t care that he has an SS symbol tattooed on his body.
October 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
“My totenkopf tattoo was totally accidental” is a terrible look pretty much no matter how you look at it. Either he knowingly got an SS tat, or he accidentally did but then doesn’t care that he has an SS symbol tattooed on his body.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
October 18, 2025 at 5:09 PM
The impunity JNIM has established in the major road ways around Bamako is striking. Unless the government finds a way to break the blockade, the capital will grind to a halt sooner rather than later.
October 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The impunity JNIM has established in the major road ways around Bamako is striking. Unless the government finds a way to break the blockade, the capital will grind to a halt sooner rather than later.
And of course Jake Tapper doesn’t point this out or push back at all.
Johnson: "Grijalva should be working for her constituents right now. I don't know what she's doing. I keep seeing their political stunt videos. She should be in her office. She should be working or in the district for her constituents" (Grijalva is not in fact a Rep. b/c Johnson refuses to seat her)
October 17, 2025 at 12:03 PM
And of course Jake Tapper doesn’t point this out or push back at all.
Dems should run on an open court packing platform.
The thing about the SC being likely to finish gutting the Civil Rights Act is that nobody has a plan. I don't know if there is a plan. But it seems like we should by now live in a place where there are actual candidates willing to say we need to stop this out of control court first.
October 16, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Dems should run on an open court packing platform.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
A good day at the office for IB Traoré's masked secret police. All these people were rounded up earlier today in different parts of Ouagadougou, Burkina
October 13, 2025 at 7:12 PM
A good day at the office for IB Traoré's masked secret police. All these people were rounded up earlier today in different parts of Ouagadougou, Burkina
Conducting airstrikes against militants on the border with Côte d’Ivoire is a huge signal for what’s been true for more than a year, that JNIM has a strong presence and is looking for ways to operate more openly on both sides of the border.
09.10 #Mali
Security Forces issued a statement that they had conducted airstrikes against IS-SP at Inarabane, in the Menaka region along with targets near Kolondieba, Zegoua and Heremakono in the Sikasso region.
They also state that Security Forces had pushed back an assault at Zantiguila.
Security Forces issued a statement that they had conducted airstrikes against IS-SP at Inarabane, in the Menaka region along with targets near Kolondieba, Zegoua and Heremakono in the Sikasso region.
They also state that Security Forces had pushed back an assault at Zantiguila.
October 12, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Conducting airstrikes against militants on the border with Côte d’Ivoire is a huge signal for what’s been true for more than a year, that JNIM has a strong presence and is looking for ways to operate more openly on both sides of the border.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
#Mali
According to reporting by @simnasr.bsky.social there has been 02 ongoing negotiations between JNIM & the Junta.
01 aimed at lifting the fuel blockade & a prisoner exchange which failed because the detainees demanded by JNIM have died in detention.
According to reporting by @simnasr.bsky.social there has been 02 ongoing negotiations between JNIM & the Junta.
01 aimed at lifting the fuel blockade & a prisoner exchange which failed because the detainees demanded by JNIM have died in detention.
October 7, 2025 at 2:26 PM
#Mali
According to reporting by @simnasr.bsky.social there has been 02 ongoing negotiations between JNIM & the Junta.
01 aimed at lifting the fuel blockade & a prisoner exchange which failed because the detainees demanded by JNIM have died in detention.
According to reporting by @simnasr.bsky.social there has been 02 ongoing negotiations between JNIM & the Junta.
01 aimed at lifting the fuel blockade & a prisoner exchange which failed because the detainees demanded by JNIM have died in detention.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
This is a fantastic achievement. Congrats, Nina, for producing the most comprehensive book to date on the foreign intervention in the Sahel. What makes this work so precious, among other things, is the unique body of evidence it relies on, collected year after year in multiple Sahelian countries
October 6, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This is a fantastic achievement. Congrats, Nina, for producing the most comprehensive book to date on the foreign intervention in the Sahel. What makes this work so precious, among other things, is the unique body of evidence it relies on, collected year after year in multiple Sahelian countries
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
Fact: some parts of Mali have been exclusively governed by JNIM for 11 years
October 6, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Fact: some parts of Mali have been exclusively governed by JNIM for 11 years
Endnotes are never acceptable, and this is one of my most strongly-held writing beliefs.
October 2, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Endnotes are never acceptable, and this is one of my most strongly-held writing beliefs.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!
September 30, 2025 at 2:43 PM
the president of the united states wants to use the american military to kill american citizens on american soil. that's the whole story!
This is helpful, but if anything I’d say the map is too favorable in terms of Burkinabè and maybe Malian areas of control.
Sahel 🇲🇱🇧🇫🇳🇪 MAP: The situation in the Sahel states of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Benin as of September 2025.
This map is a joint production by @warmapper.org and myself
This map is a joint production by @warmapper.org and myself
September 30, 2025 at 1:13 AM
This is helpful, but if anything I’d say the map is too favorable in terms of Burkinabè and maybe Malian areas of control.
Reposted by Andrew Lebovich
28.09 #Niger
JNIM has issued a statement claiming to have taken control of a Security Forces position at Assamaka, close to the Algerian border.
In October of 2024 a large JNIM force attacked 03 Security Forces positions west of Assamaka.
JNIM has issued a statement claiming to have taken control of a Security Forces position at Assamaka, close to the Algerian border.
In October of 2024 a large JNIM force attacked 03 Security Forces positions west of Assamaka.
September 28, 2025 at 8:42 AM
28.09 #Niger
JNIM has issued a statement claiming to have taken control of a Security Forces position at Assamaka, close to the Algerian border.
In October of 2024 a large JNIM force attacked 03 Security Forces positions west of Assamaka.
JNIM has issued a statement claiming to have taken control of a Security Forces position at Assamaka, close to the Algerian border.
In October of 2024 a large JNIM force attacked 03 Security Forces positions west of Assamaka.