JNIM Graduation Highlights Growing Threat, Army Boosts Air Capabilities

Bamako, January 21, 2026 - The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) released photos on Wednesday showing a graduation ceremony for a class of fighters at Commander Abdel Haq’s camp. This follows previous graduations in Timbuktu and Sikasso, signaling an intensification of the group’s training and operational capacity. In response, the Malian army is accelerating its acquisition of drones and AI-powered weapons, increasingly prioritizing air power over ground combat to counter the threat posed by these newly trained fighters.