The Sahel crisis began with a Tuareg and jihadist uprising in northern Mali in 2012, exploiting the collapse of the Libyan state. It spread across the Sahel — Burkina Faso, Niger, and beyond. JNIM (Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin) and IS Sahel Province are the main armed groups. French Operation Barkhane (2014–2022) withdrew following military coups in Mali (2021), Burkina Faso (2022) and Niger (2023). The region hosts over 5 million displaced people. Atrocities by both jihadist groups and government forces — including the Moura massacre (2022) — have been documented by the UN.