Nigeria, May 2 -- While traveling between Kaduna, Jos and Kafanchan on Saturday, April 25, 2026, where I spent the night, I followed developments in Mali closely. My keen interest in the unfolding events was shaped by my background as a student of conflict sensitive reporting, which has taught me to pay attention not only to attacks themselves, but also to the statements, signals and patterns that emerge in their aftermath. Reports of coordinated attacks across several locations were troubling enough. As the day progressed, three separate statements emerged, one from 'Jama'at Nasr al Islam wal Muslimin', known as JNIM, another from the 'Azawad Liberation Front', the FLA, and a third from the Malian Transitional Government.

Taken together...