Episode 371: Mali at the Breaking Point: Insurgency, Military Rule, and the Future of the Sahel with Ulf Laessing

Episode 371: Mali at the Breaking Point: Insurgency, Military Rule, and the Future of the Sahel with Ulf Laessing

From The International Risk Podcast by Dominic Bowen

June 4, 2026 · 22 min · Season 6 · Episode 371

About this episode

This episode discusses the unrest in Mali and its implications for the Sahel region.

This episode with Ulf Laessing examines the recent escalation of unrest in Mali and what it reveals about the deeper fragmentation of authority across the central Sahel. The conversation explores how sustained insurgent pressure, weak state institutions, and shifting alliances between military governments and armed groups are reshaping the trajectory of the Malian state. We discuss why Mali has become a central node in the wider Sahel crisis, how jihadist groups are adapting their operational...

People in this episode

Host: Dominic Bowen

Guest: Ulf Laessing

Topics covered

  • Mali
  • insurgency
  • military rule
  • Sahel crisis
  • state fragmentation
  • jihadist groups

Keywords

  • Mali
  • insurgency
  • military rule
  • Sahel
  • jihadist groups
  • state institutions
  • unrest

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Mali, Sahel

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