About 60 civilians held hostage by the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (Jnim) were released between Thursday, August 13 and Friday, August 14, according to reports.
The civilians had been abducted on several roads in western Mali, where Jnim has imposed a jihadist blockade. Following their release, they returned to their families in Nioro, Bamako and Kayes. The releases came shortly after the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA), an ally of Jnim, released 82 Malian soldiers it had been holding since the fall of Kidal in late April 2026.
The releases were carried out discreetly, with neither the Malian authorities nor the armed groups publicly commenting on the developments. However, the simultaneous releases suggest that negotiations may have been taking place behind the scenes despite Bamako’s official position.
Sources said the negotiations involved the Malian officials, local village representatives and religious leaders, as well as relatives of some of the detained soldiers. Local communities have previously negotiated agreements with jihadists to secure relative calm in areas where state presence is limited.
The release of the hostages and prisoners may also be an attempt by the armed groups to improve their public image following recent executions of Malian soldiers in the north, which have prompted human rights organisations to call for independent investigations.