Reported Non-Aggression Pact Between Malian Junta and JNIM in Dogon Country

Bandiagara, February 20, 2026 - Reports indicate that a non-aggression pact has been reached between the Malian junta and JNIM militants in Dogon Country, particularly in the Bandiagara area. As part of the agreement, Russian mercenaries from the Afrika Korps are reported to have withdrawn from the region and suspended all ground and air operations, signaling a temporary de-escalation of hostilities in the area. Local sources suggest the pact may create a window of relative calm, although the situation remains fragile amid ongoing security challenges in the wider central Mali region.