Niccola Milnes

The Moroccan Ministry of the Interior has officially confirmed the existence of an online campaign encouraging people to attempt to reach Ceuta. According to the ministry, the campaign falsely claimed that the border was open, that anyone who reached Ceuta would be allowed to remain, that those who swam across would face no legal consequences, and that entry was easy. Someone wanted to destabilize the country, the elections are coming with Islamists in full force, Morocco just signed numerous partnerships with US, Morocco just launched a pipeline that will help Spain get rid of Russian gas, is negotiating a peace deal with Algeria, and is finally solving the Western Sahara issue. Morocco also doesn't benefit from this since the country is already under pressure with Sahel migration.

A bit late 🧵. So, when looking at the Sahel, one cannot help but spot the behemoth that is JNIM, arguably the most powerful al-Qaeda affiliate atm. I personally think they are very short distance from cousin in Somalia. However, it’s Islamic State being an elephant in the room.

How is the rapid evolution of armed-group #drone capabilities challenging existing security and counter-drone measures in the #Sahel and Lake Chad Basin? @rmaghrebi @NiccolaMilnes policycenter.ma/publications/a…

« Last year, the Malian military and its Russian partners were responsible for 925 civilian deaths, according to @ACLEDINFO, compared with 232 by Islamist militants » @MENASTREAM. The U.S. could be most useful by getting involved instead in “conflict resolution,” forcing Mali’s junta government to talk with JNIM, which has focused not on global aims but on applying Islamic laws in local governance, and other political opponents whom the junta has largely silenced. Opting for the military solution one more time won’t get things resolved. The French tried that for 10 years. The Russians have been trying for five years. The situation has only gotten worse and worse […] if U.S. strikes weaken JNIM, they conversely could help IS Sahel, whose growth has been limited by the rival al-Qaeda-affiliated group @Rachel_Chason @John_Hudson @washingtonpost washingtonpost.com/national-secur…

People on the Left keep wanting to make a red-brown alliance a thing, and that absolutely never works out for the Left.

@KargnHasret Was it confirmed shahed? I had read ‘shahed type’

#Mali Reportedly the army carried out a Shahed drone strike in Taldanhak, Kidal.

#Mali dans les images vidéo du JNIM on constate que toute l’attaque était suivie depuis les airs par drone & que les jihadistes étaient dirigés en direct. Comme le fait qu’une importante quantité d’armement et de munitions a été capturée

Which of course makes you wonder how many other fighters JNIM has embedded in ISSP…

If you want to turn your phone into a drone detector, here is the way 👉askalonindustries.com/turn-any-spare…

#BurkinaFaso JNIM revendique l’assassinat de Sadou qui avait fait défection vers l’EI Sahel avec un de ses gardes du corps // il avait fait plusieurs audios pour dénoncer les façons de faire du JNIM avec les autres acteurs des conflits et qu’il souhaitait résumer à la guerre totale / une source propre m’avait rapporté « que sa défection était pour raisons personnelles »

#BurkinaFaso🇧🇫 - With well-equipped and trained soldiers who have the right fighting spirit & good commanding officers, it is possible to make a difference even against #JNIM attacks, which often seem to be overwhelming. A great success in this seemingly endless struggle. #Gayeri

#Mali's war on civilians deepens as alliances shift, @HRW says, via @RFI @melissachemam "Long-standing impunity continues to fuel the cycle of abuses against civilians in Mali." rfi.fr/en/africa/2026…

This - is - going - too - fast

#Niger après l’attaque de l’aéroport de Niamey en janvier tout le monde parlait du JNIM, seul j’évoquais la piste de l’EI, avec la 2e attaque ce matin tout le monde parlait de l’EI, alors que le JNIM est responsable. Ce sujet est très sérieux pour être travaillé au pif…

📺 @NiccolaMilnes, Independent Conflict and Security Advisor, shares key messages from her intervention during Session V: “Low-Cost Technologies and the Transformation of Conflict Dynamics,” at the 10th Edition of the African Peace and Security Annual Conference (#APSACO2026). 🔗Agenda: policycenter.ma/events/african…

A good reminder re Mali context as well for those suggesting if FLA had held the Kidal base they would have had access/control of the TB2s. All that tech also means there are off switches that can be applied remotely.

#Mali deux exemples de munitions artisanales pour drones modifiés. Le plus dur est la bascule de la munitions pour que le percuteur fonctionne à l’impact. C’est un système très dangereux pour ceux qui arment les drones. Le jeune fils d’al-Ghabass Ag Intalla y a laissé la vie.

@NiccolaMilnes, Independent Conflict and Security Advisor, focused her intervention on drones as part of the broader low-cost technology ecosystem and their implications for conflict dynamics.

#Mali JNIM dévoile, avec l’attaque de Sévaré, une capacité militaire inédite dans l’usage tactique des drones, mais aussi, par l’absence d’images, le fait que ses jihadistes n’ont pas pu atteindre le tarmac, voilà pourquoi @julienfanciulli @France24_fr youtu.be/6LcAqIqQQu8?is…

A courageous attempt at mapping the jihadist galaxy at the Benin-Niger-Nigeria border...