After Gaining Land Control, Armed Groups Target 'Gold of the Sahel'

According to local reports relayed by political analyst Eric Isiba to "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed", 75% of incidents related to gold mines in Burkina Faso accounted for the total recorded violence in the country between 2015 and this year, indicating that the ruling military council controls just 25% of the nation's territory.

Targeting Infrastructure Near Mines by Armed Groups

A recent report from the Conflict Sites and Events Data Project states that armed groups are intensifying attacks on roads, communities, and commercial centers within a 10-kilometer radius of gold mines across the Sahel region. These attacks include vital military and economic facilities, leading to major setbacks for governments in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso in recent months.

Role of "Ansar Dine" and "ISIS – Sahel Province"

"Ansar Dine," an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, is among the most prominent organizations launching intense attacks against gold mines in Mali, competing with "Islamic State (ISIS – Sahel Province)" and regional governments for access to mining sites. According to military expert Amr Diallo, targeting mines follows previous siege operations aimed at Mali’s capital, Bamako, blocking fuel convoys and other supplies—reflecting an effort to impose long-term economic attrition against central governments in the Sahel.

Mechanisms of Indirect Control Over the Gold Sector

Diallo told "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed" that these groups do not conduct mining or prospecting themselves but exploit security gaps around mines to impose specific restrictions. One such mechanism involves levying tolls on companies and institutions operating in the area in exchange for permission to access mining sites. Diallo argues this strategy has proven effective due to the lack of tools and mechanisms among these groups to carry out independent mining operations or reach international markets to sell gold.

Government Responses and Reliance on Foreign Support

These warnings about strangling gold mines coincide with Sahelian governments turning to Russian forces for support in their fight against armed groups. Isiba also notes that the success of "Ansar Dine" and other groups in instilling fear around gold mines by targeting workers and restricting their access to mining sites reveals a significant government failure in protecting production sites.