The US sanctions the jihadist groups responsible for the hostage-taking in Africa

The United States has imposed sanctions on the leaders of jihadist groups responsible for taking hostages, including US citizens, in West Africa. This was announced in a statement from the US Treasury and State departments. “We will not hesitate to use the tools at our disposal to bring home U.S. citizens held hostage abroad and to deter future kidnappings of our citizens,” said the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. “The JNIM (Islam and Muslim Support Group, an al Qaeda affiliate) relies on hostage-taking and the illegal detention of civilians to gain influence and instill fear, creating anguish and misery for victims and their families.” , said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

The sanctions specifically target two JNIM leaders based in Mali and Burkina Faso, including one accused of overseeing the detention of a U.S. citizen. The action freezes all their assets in the United States and, in general, prevents US citizens and entities from doing business with them. The sanctions against leaders of al Qaeda’s West African branch and the Islamic militant group Al Mourabitoun come as Washington seeks to discourage and punish the detention of U.S. citizens abroad. West African countries have been destabilized in recent years by Islamist insurgencies that took root in Mali in 2012 and spread to the Sahel region, despite costly internationally supported military efforts.

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