Rival Jihadist Groups Battle Across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Borders

Two rival terrorist groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State have fought a series of large-scale battles in the Liptako-Gourma tri-border area where Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger meet, killing hundreds of fighters in recent weeks. The violence has also spread beyond the central Sahel into parts of Niger and northwestern Nigeria since April 2026, widening the areas where travellers face serious security risks.

Key facts

• Two major confrontations in northeastern Burkina Faso in August and October involved thousands of militants and killed hundreds of fighters on both sides.
• An independent panel of experts reported to the United Nations Security Council in August that the clashes were "the most intense direct confrontation globally" between the two groups.
• The groups, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP), have fought about 320 battles since mid-2019, killing more than 2,200 fighters.
• Territorial fighting has spread into Niger's Tillaberi and Dosso regions and Nigeria's Kebbi state since April 2026.
• Conflict monitor ACLED described each of the two Burkina Faso battles as the deadliest encounter between the groups to date.

What is happening?

JNIM and ISSP are fighting a turf war across several fronts in the Sahel, operating in ways ACLED's West Africa senior analyst Héni Nsaibia compares to organized crime families competing over territory and illicit trade networks while extorting money and resources from civilians. Both groups run parallel economies and levy what they present as taxes in return for protection.

According to Nsaibia, JNIM has been the more successful group strategically, consolidating control across large parts of Mali and Burkina Faso and expanding from the central Sahel toward coastal West Africa. Tactically, he said, ISSP has won several of the most important battles in recent years.

Where has the fighting spread?

With control of the Liptako-Gourma at stake, ISSP has pushed beyond its stronghold in Menaka, Mali, into Niger and toward the Nigerian border, moving fighters, equipment and expertise with the Islamic State West Africa Province based in the Lake Chad basin.

Analyst Charlie Werb wrote on 4 November that ISSP is trying to influence bandit groups ideologically and win their support for a foothold in northwestern Nigeria, where JNIM's presence has also grown over the past year. He expects the expansion of both groups in the northwest to continue through the next presidential term after Nigeria's January 2027 election.

Who is at risk?

Both groups recruit from remote Sahel communities that have typically had little government presence, drawing on local grievances. ISSP is described as holding a more hard-line, transnational stance and has a history of targeting civilians who do not cooperate, while JNIM, despite abuses against civilians, tends to focus attacks on state security forces and Russian mercenaries while seeking alliances with tribal leaders.

Leonardo Santos Simão, who heads the U.N. Office for West Africa and the Sahel, told the Security Council in July that the two groups present a constantly moving and evolving threat. The U.N. also said drug production, trafficking and consumption are rising rapidly, particularly in coastal states, with young people the primary victims and some armed groups reportedly giving the substances to their fighters.

What this means for travellers

The heaviest fighting is concentrated in the Liptako-Gourma border region and has since April 2026 reached Niger's Tillaberi and Dosso regions and Nigeria's Kebbi state. Anyone considering travel to these areas should follow current security developments and official travel advisories before making plans. The source contains no visa, border closure or transport information.

No end to the confrontation is in view. Analysts quoted expect the rivalry to keep expanding, particularly in northwestern Nigeria ahead of the country's January 2027 presidential election.