Unpacking the jihadi civil war in the Sahel: JNIM and EIGS’s brutal struggle
Recent clashes at the Burkina Faso-Niger frontier are not isolated events but rather a continuation of the intense power struggle between the Sahel’s dominant jihadi factions: the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS). This confrontation highlights a significant shift in the Sahel’s security landscape.
This evolution of the Sahel conflict signals the end of a unique global scenario where Al-Qaeda and Islamic State affiliates once coexisted. Since 2020, a direct and systemic confrontation has taken hold. The Burkina Faso-Niger border, now a critically vulnerable security zone, has become the primary stage for this internal "civil war" among jihadi groups. Here, each faction prioritizes eradicating its ideological adversary as a strategic prerequisite for any broader offensive.
At the core of this internal struggle lie profound doctrinal divergences and their implications for local communities. The primary point of contention appears to be their contrasting approaches to civilian populations:
- JNIM (Integration Strategy): Guided by Iyad Ag Ghali, JNIM adopts a "hearts and minds" approach. This Al-Qaeda affiliate seeks to embed itself within local communal disputes, offering a form of justice and largely refraining from mass killings of Muslims. Their ultimate goal is to establish a proto-state that gains acceptance from the local populace.
- EIGS (Terror Strategy): Remaining loyal to the central Islamic State doctrine, EIGS enforces an ultra-radical interpretation of takfir (excommunication). They consider anyone who does not pledge allegiance to them an apostate. This indiscriminate brutality frequently sparks clashes with JNIM, which often positions itself as a "shield" for civilians, thereby enhancing its own legitimacy among communities.
Given that the Burkina-Niger border serves as a vital transit zone, recent confrontations likely aimed at securing control over critical assets:
- Smuggling Routes: Pathways for illicit goods like fuel, livestock, and various commodities, whose taxation provides crucial funding for their war efforts.
- Mobility Corridors: Essential routes enabling the movement of fighters between their Malian strongholds and areas targeted for expansion towards the Gulf of Guinea states.
For the governments of Burkina Faso and Niger, both members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), these ongoing clashes precipitate extreme security chaos for civilian populations. This leads to widespread displacement and a significant refugee crisis that states are then tasked with managing. Furthermore, the fluid nature of these multiple warring factions complicates aerial strikes, making target identification exceptionally hazardous for regional security forces.
Beyond mere territorial disputes, this confrontation represents a deep struggle for political survival. JNIM aims to preserve its long-standing hegemony, while the more agile and violent EIGS strives to break out of its perceived encirclement within the Sahel region.
For Burkina Faso and Niger, sustained vigilance remains paramount. The mutual weakening of these jihadi groups does not herald their disappearance but rather signals a continuous evolution of the threat along their vulnerable borders.
