‘Depart immediately’: State Department warns Americans as al Qaeda threatens to overrun African nation

The U.S. State Department is urging American citizens to avoid or immediately depart Mali due to escalating crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and health risks. The warning comes as the West African nation faces a growing threat from the al Qaeda-linked group JNIM, which has surrounded the capital, Bamako, and disrupted supply routes. The U.S. Embassy in Mali warns that it has limited ability to provide assistance outside of Bamako and advises using commercial aviation for departure. A former senior military official suggests the situation in Mali poses an increasing threat to the U.S. homeland due to the reduction of U.S. forces and intelligence assets in the region, impacting the safety of U.S. diplomats in neighboring West African nations as well.

Explore how the topics in this article connect to other news stories