Ankara: The Trump administration is considering US military action in Mali against the al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), as per a report by The Washington Post. The publication cited current and former US officials who are familiar with the ongoing deliberations.

According to Anadolu Agency, the report highlights a division among senior administration officials regarding the proposal, with White House National Security Council Senior Director for Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka being one of the proponents of military action. When questioned about the report, an administration official neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of US-authorized strikes but emphasized the importance of North and West African governments acquiring US equipment and services in their fight against terrorism.

The official described terrorism in the Sahel region as a "multinational problem," urging regional partners and NATO allies to support the Alliance of Sahel States in their fight against JNIM and ISIS, also known as Daesh. The US administration expressed hope that the Alliance of Sahel States would succeed in combating terrorism but criticized Russia for being an ineffective security partner for Mali, suggesting that other African nations should take note of Russia's performance in addressing terrorism.

The Pentagon has declined to comment on the matter, while the State Department reiterated the US's strong condemnation of terrorist activities in Mali, as reported. In 2018, the US State Department designated JNIM in Mali as a foreign terrorist organization.