Foreign Policy

Is Ukraine Helping Al Qaeda Conquer West Africa?

The proliferation of drones to Malian rebels is a bizarre, unexpected form of blowback.

Matthew Petti | 4.29.2026 11:28 AM

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A soldier with a rifle and the flag of Azawad. (Photo: DPST/Newscom)

The fastest-growing branch of Al Qaeda today is in West Africa. Earlier this week, former rock star Iyad Ag Ghali and his followers, known as JNIM, launched a massive uprising in the African nation of Mali, capturing several cities, killing Defense Minister Sadio Camara, and threatening Bamako, the capital. This lightning offensive by Al Qaeda had an unlikely source of support: Ukrainian-trained drone pilots.

For at least two years, Ukrainian spies have been supporting Azawad, an unrecognized ethnic Tuareg secessionist state, in its fight against the Malian government, which is backed by Russian troops. This week, the Azawad Liberation Front announced that it was "in partnership with JNIM, equally engaged in the defense of the people against the Bamako military regime." The Tuareg fighters, who had studied drone warfare in Ukraine, are now providing air support to Al Qaeda. 

Technically, Ukraine was not and is not directly supporting Al Qaeda. The movement for an independent Azawad, which is older than JNIM, has actually fought........

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