Mali continues to face chronic insecurity, particularly in the regions of Gao, Ménaka, Mopti, Timbuktu, Ansongo, and Kidal, where jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda (JNIM) and the Islamic State (ISGS) are vying for territorial control. The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) regularly target the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), local militias, and civilians. On June 1, 2025, a JNIM assault on the Boulikessi military base in central Mali resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 Malian soldiers, with the base reportedly overrun and abandoned following the attack. On May 23, 2025, another attack in Dioura, located in the Tenenkou area, left more than 40 soldiers dead after JNIM took control of the camp and seized vehicles and weapons. Despite counter-offensives by FAMa, sometimes supported by pro-government militias or Russian mercenaries, insecurity remains pervasive. Large areas remain outside state control, and porous borders with Burkina Faso and Niger continue to facilitate the cross-border movement of armed groups, further complicating stabilization efforts.