Where Is War

Is there a war in Mali?

Yes. UCDP lists 6 active armed conflicts with fighting recorded in Mali.

1 of them at war level (1,000+ deaths in a year). Largest: Mali: Government, 1,086 deaths in 2025.

Updated 30 October 2026 · UCDP data through 30 September 2026 · View on map →

Deaths recorded in Mali in 2025

1,357in state-based fighting
168in fighting between armed groups
632in attacks on civilians (one-sided violence)

UCDP GED Global 26.1: best estimates for events located in Mali (as UCDP places them), by type of violence. The three are shown separately, as UCDP counts them, and are not added together here.

The conflicts

Each conflict as UCDP defines it: a dispute with at least 25 battle-related deaths in a year. Figures are UCDP best estimates; the newest months are preliminary and can change. UCDP does not record who started each clash.

War levelState-based conflict · UCDP start year 2009

Mali: Government

1,086deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
987deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
7,397total 2009–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (15 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Mali vs JNIM

2009: 872010: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2011: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2012: 872013: 8362014: 952015: 742016: 972017: 3122018: 4022019: 4222020: 5202021: 6162022: 1,1172023: 8862024: 7602025: 1,0862026: 987 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2009highest: 1,1172026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary987
20251,086
2024760
2023886
20221,117
2021616
2020520
2019422
2018402
2017312
201697
201574
201495
2013836
201287
200987

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Mali · War WATCH (legal classification) · View on map →

Armed conflictState-based conflict · UCDP start year 2017

Mali: Islamic State

189deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
112deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
1,342total 2017–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (9 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Mali vs IS

2017: 472018: 1192019: 1812020: 632021: 1102022: 3232023: 1822024: 1282025: 1892026: 112 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2017highest: 3232026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary112
2025189
2024128
2023182
2022323
2021110
202063
2019181
2018119
201747

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Mali · War WATCH (legal classification) · View on map →

Armed conflictNon-state conflict (between armed groups) · UCDP start year 2019

IS - JNIM

154deaths in 2025UCDP Non-State Conflict Dataset 26.1
70deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
1,538total 2020–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (6 years listed)

Who is fighting: IS vs JNIM

2019: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2020: 3812021: 1222022: 4052023: 4362024: 402025: 1542026: 70 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2019highest: 4362026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Conflict-wide figures (not only Mali). Also recorded in: Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger.

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary70
2025154
202440
2023436
2022405
2021122
2020381

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Burkina Faso · View on map →

Armed conflictNon-state conflict (between armed groups) · UCDP start year 2018

Dan na Ambassagou - JNIM

89deaths in 2025UCDP Non-State Conflict Dataset 26.1
65deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
520total 2020–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (6 years listed)

Who is fighting: Dan na Ambassagou vs JNIM

2018: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2019: not in the dataset (below 25 deaths or no data)2020: 1182021: 492022: 562023: 852024: 1232025: 892026: 65 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2018highest: 1232026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: August 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary65
202589
2024123
202385
202256
202149
2020118

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Mali · View on map →

Armed conflictState-based conflict · UCDP start year 2023

Mali: Government/Azawad

82deaths in 2025UCDP Battle-Related Deaths Dataset 26.1 (conflict level)
163deaths in Jan–Sep 2026preliminary · UCDP Candidate Events Dataset 26.01.26.09
375total 2023–2025sum of the UCDP yearly figures below (3 years listed)

Who is fighting: Government of Mali vs FLA

2023: 1702024: 1232025: 822026: 163 (Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary)
2023highest: 1702026*

* Jan–Sep 2026, preliminary (hatched). Grey: year not in the dataset (UCDP lists a conflict-year only with at least 25 deaths).

Latest recorded fighting: September 2026

Figures by year
YearDeaths (best estimate)
Jan–Sep 2026 preliminary163
202582
2024123
2023170

UCDP conflict page · CrisisWatch: Mali · View on map →

1 more conflict in Mali

Conflict (UCDP)2025Jan–Sep 2026
preliminary
Dozos (Mali) - JNIM
Dozos (Mali) vs JNIM		6266Map

Military personnel

41,000own armed forces (2020)World Bank / IISS · active + paramilitary

Foreign military personnel in Mali

United States14

assigned · 31 Aug 2026 · DoD DMDC

Other countries may have forces here; only official, reusable figures are shown.

Other countries with active armed conflicts in Africa

AngolaBeninBurkina FasoBurundiCameroonCentral African RepublicChadDR CongoEthiopiaGhanaKenyaMozambiqueNigerNigeriaRwandaSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth SudanSudanTogo

All countries →

Sources and licences