JNIM’s shift to controlling state functions in mourdiah and nara

JNIM’s evolving strategy: Controlling functions, not just territory

The strategic route linking Bamako to Mourdiah and Nara in western Mali reopened on June 24, 2026, after weeks of blockade imposed by the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). While the resumption of traffic marks a return to normalcy, the circumstances of this reopening reveal a deeper shift in the dynamics of conflict in the Sahel.

Unlike previous military confrontations, this development was achieved not through a decisive state offensive but through negotiations led by local notables and community leaders with the jihadist group. This episode underscores a fundamental transformation in the nature of conflict in the region, where the focus is increasingly shifting from territorial control to the capture of essential state functions.

From territorial conquest to functional capture

The conflict in the Sahel is no longer solely defined by the seizure or loss of territory. Instead, it revolves around the ability to control the functions that enable society to function: securing mobility, ensuring the continuity of trade, regulating supply chains, administering justice, and enforcing collective rules. The JNIM has progressively integrated these dimensions into its repertoire of actions, using blockades, restrictions on movement, and control over commercial corridors to exert influence far beyond traditional military operations.

This strategic evolution is evident in the group’s activities across Mali since 2024. While armed attacks against state forces have not ceased, the JNIM has increasingly targeted vital infrastructure such as roads connecting major cities like Kayes, Nioro-du-Sahel, Ségou, Mourdiah, and Nara. By disrupting these arteries, the group does not merely hinder military movements; it destabilizes markets, disrupts economic activity, and undermines the daily lives of communities. Roads, once mere transit routes, have become de facto political institutions—venues where authority is exercised through the control of flows rather than the occupation of land.

The erosion of state authority in the peripheries

An State derives its legitimacy not only from its sovereignty over a territory but from its ability to fulfill functions that populations consider indispensable. When these functions are captured by non-state actors, the nature of authority itself is contested. The JNIM appears to be pursuing a strategy of functional capture, where it does not seek to administer territories directly but instead appropriates the functions that make the state socially indispensable.

This process is particularly pronounced in the peripheries of Mali, where the presence of the state is intermittent. By securing movement, arbitrating disputes, regulating trade, or sanctioning behavior deemed deviant, the group constructs what can be described as performative legitimacy—a form of authority derived not from institutional mandate or traditional lineage but from the demonstrated ability to provide order and predictability. Communities, in turn, engage in negotiations not out of ideological alignment but as a rational response to survival, reopening routes and ensuring access to markets despite the risks.

Competing claims to authority

The reopening of the Bamako-Mourdiah-Nara axis exemplifies a complex interplay of authorities. While the state retains its legal sovereignty, its practical capacity to deliver essential services is increasingly contested. Traditional authorities, such as customary leaders and religious figures, continue to play a role in preserving local balances, while the JNIM seeks to convert its coercive power into governance capabilities.

This pluralization of authority challenges the Weberian model of the modern state, which relies on rational-legal legitimacy and a monopoly on legitimate violence. In the Sahel, authority is increasingly fragmented, with legitimacy derived from multiple, overlapping sources. The JNIM‘s strategy does not aim to replace the state outright but to erode its functional dominance in areas where its presence is weak. The group’s actions—whether securing roads, resolving disputes, or regulating markets—contribute to a gradual reconfiguration of who holds the power to organize collective life.

The battle for legitimacy: Beyond territory, toward authority

The central question in the Sahel today is not merely who controls the land but who is recognized as capable of ensuring security, justice, and the continuity of daily life. The JNIM‘s ability to provide order in the peripheries, even temporarily, challenges the state’s monopoly on governance. Each successful mediation, each reopened road, and each resolved dispute—even outside formal institutions—shifts the boundaries of political legitimacy.

For the Malian state, the challenge is not only to reclaim territory militarily but to restore its credibility as the primary actor capable of guaranteeing security, administering justice, and ensuring mobility. The conflict is less about the control of violence and more about the social recognition of who can organize collective life sustainably. In this context, the battle for the Sahel is fundamentally a contest over authority—not just territory.