By Ricky Peters
The Gambia finds itself in a relatively secure position, buffered by Senegal and its strong military. However, Senegal is facing increasing pressure from terrorist groups seeking to expand their reach, particularly along its border with Mali.
What means the recent major deployment of the Senegalese Special Forces to its border, who is JNIM, and what is going on in Bakel town?|
Here’s the latest information regarding the JNIM attacks near Bakel town, Senegal, just 190 miles from the Gambian border, and the broader context of terror attacks in Senegal and its border regions:
Latest News on JNIM and Bakel, Senegal:
•          Motorbike Ban in Bakel: As of late July 2025, Senegalese officials have imposed a nighttime ban on motorcycles in the Bakel region, which stretches along the border with Mali. This measure was enacted for “security reasons” following recent attacks in Malian towns just across the border, where militants used motorbikes.
•          JNIM Activity in Mali Bordering Senegal: The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliated group, claimed responsibility for attacks in several Malian towns on July 1, 2025. One of these towns, Diboli, is less than 500 meters from Kidira in Senegal, highlighting the proximity of JNIM’s operations. These attacks demonstrate JNIM’s growing strength in western Mali, a region previously less affected by the insurgency.
•          JNIM’s Expansion Strategy: Analysts and reports from May-July 2025 indicate that JNIM is actively seeking to expand its influence from Mali into Senegal and Mauritania. They are increasing activities in Mali’s Kayes region, which borders Senegal, engaging in complex attacks, civilian coercion, and exploiting criminal economies (like logging and mining) to establish cross-border networks.
•          Blockade Threat: Following the July 1st attacks, JNIM threatened to impose a blockade on the Malian towns of Kayes and Nioro. Such a blockade would have severe socio-economic consequences for Senegal and Mauritania due to the strategic importance of this cross-border area for trade and gold mining.
Terror attacks in Senegal or its borders
While Senegal itself has not experienced any recent terrorist attacks within its borders, the threat is significant and growing due to the escalating activity of JNIM and other groups in neighbouring Mali:
•          Increased Cross-Border Pressure: The intensification of JNIM’s activities in the Kayes region of Mali directly puts Senegal in the crosshairs. The border is porous and exploited by smugglers, which JNIM can leverage.
•          Vulnerabilities in Senegal: Reports indicate that Senegal has vulnerabilities that JNIM could exploit, including a porous border, a lack of public awareness of security issues, socio-economic challenges, and the spread of Salafism.
•          Past counter terrorism operations: Senegalese special forces eliminated a JNIM support cell within their borders in 2021, showing that the group has attempted to establish a presence.
•          Regional Instability: The Sahel region (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) continues to be the epicentre of terrorist activity in West Africa, with JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) being the predominant groups. The violence is spreading geographically, increasing concerns about spillover into coastal states like Senegal.
•          International Cooperation: Senegal is actively working with international partners, like the UNODC, to strengthen its capacity in preventing and countering the nexus between terrorism and organized crime, and to enhance inter-agency cooperation.
Senegal’s response: Troop deployment and Special Forces
Senegal has a clear strategy of deploying troops, including special forces, to its borders in response to these security threats, and has historically done so:
•          Increased Presence and Vigilance: The growing JNIM activity on the Mali border has naturally led to increased vigilance and likely a heightened deployment of forces by Senegal, even if specific numbers aren’t publicly disclosed.
•          Proactive Security Measures: The recent nighttime motorbike ban in the Bakel region is one of the direct examples of Senegal’s proactive measures to counter militant tactics and implies increased enforcement and a visible security presence on the ground.
•          Cross-Border Cooperation and Intelligence Sharing: Senegal is actively engaged in cross-border cooperation mechanisms with Mali and Mauritania. This involves periodic tripartite meetings to plan joint patrols and share intelligence, indicating a coordinated deployment strategy to secure the borders.
•          Utilising Special Forces: Senegal possesses highly-trained Special Forces units, such as the Compagnie Fusilier de Marin Commando (COFUMACO) and specialised intervention units like GAR-SI Senegal. These elite units regularly train with international partners (including the US and Spain) in counter-terrorism, direct action, and special reconnaissance. GAR-SI Senegal, in particular, was designed to operate in areas like the Kidira border region with Mali, making them highly suitable for these deployments, and highly feared by the terrorists.
In essence, while direct JNIM attacks within Senegal have not been reported recently, only the elimination of an attempt by JNIM to establish a camp on Senegal’s soil in 2021, the nation is acutely aware of the escalating threat from its Malian border. Senegal is responding with a multi-faceted approach that includes heightened troop presence, targeted security measures like the motorbike ban, and the strategic deployment of its capable special forces to deter and respond to potential incursions.
