The Malian junta is implementing a new phase in its territorial reconquest strategy. Through a ministerial decree, publicly released on Friday, June 5, 2026, authorities in Bamako have designated military interest zones encompassing some forty forests spread across the national territory. These areas, now strictly reserved for operations by the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa), are entirely off-limits to any civilian presence. The measure specifically targets suspected sanctuaries of jihadist groups affiliated with the Islamic State in the Sahel and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
A security mapping reconfiguring land use
The decree meticulously itemizes the affected forest blocks, which are distributed across multiple regions of the country. Heavily wooded areas in the central and southern parts of Mali, long exploited as hideouts by armed combatants, feature prominently in this new arrangement. By sealing off access to these spaces, the junta aims to sever the logistical lifelines of militant cells and facilitate targeted aerial operations without risking civilian casualties.
The decision to regulate forests in this manner is far from arbitrary. For over a decade, these extensive woodlands have served as complex grey zones where traditional subsistence economies, illicit trafficking, and insurgent activities have intertwined. Local villagers depend on these forests for firewood, medicinal plants, and game, while pastoralists lead their herds through them for transhumance. This new legal regime fundamentally disrupts that delicate balance, effectively placing these essential resources under military oversight.
In practical terms, any civilian incursion into these designated areas will now be subject to penalties, and military sweep operations can be deployed without prior notification. This directive aligns with the firm doctrine espoused by the colonels in power since the twin coups of 2020 and 2021, which saw a rupture with the French military presence and a strategic pivot in the security architecture towards Russian partners.
A military gamble with significant humanitarian consequences
The tactical efficacy of this measure will largely depend on the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) and their auxiliaries’ ability to maintain a sustained presence in these forest territories. Helicopter-borne missions and precision strikes, which have become pivotal since the departure of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) in 2023, now find an expanded legal framework within these prohibited zones. For Bamako, this move also serves to convey to the public a renewed sense of initiative against an escalating insecurity that has spread southwards, reaching the peripheries of Bamako and Kayes.
Nonetheless, the social repercussions could prove substantial. Tens of thousands of inhabitants reside in immediate proximity to the targeted forest blocks, deriving a considerable portion of their income from forest exploitation. This prohibition risks further destabilizing rural communities already grappling with drought, soaring food prices, and the closure of cross-border markets. The precedent in neighboring Burkina Faso, where similar military interest zones were established in 2023, indicates a clear correlation between the expansion of militarized perimeters and massive internal displacements.
A Sahelian alignment on the militarization of spaces
Mali’s current approach is part of a broader regional trend. Burkina Faso and Niger, partners within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), have increasingly implemented exceptional territorial measures since 2024 to regain control from armed groups. This convergence in doctrine reflects a shared vision of sovereign security, founded on the physical control of peripheral areas and the temporary suspension of certain customary usage rights.
International observers are watching this development with circumspection. Human rights organizations have, on multiple occasions, documented abuses committed in zones placed under reinforced military control. The junta’s capacity to balance operational effectiveness with respect for civilian populations will be closely monitored, particularly by West African neighbors and the international donors still active in the country.
Economically, the establishment of these restricted zones could also impact artisanal mining concessions and certain gold extraction operations situated on the fringes of the targeted forests. The government has not yet provided details on the modalities for compensation or the reallocation of affected populations.
