Jihadists in Northern Africa

The Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara, is slipping further into chaos as terrorist groups tighten their grip. Daily jihadist attacks—raids, murders, and bombings—are pushing the region toward an explosive crisis. With struggling African armies and France scaling back its military support, local communities are left to fend for themselves.
In the heart of Mali’s Dogon homeland, our team is embedded with the Dan Na Ambassagou militia—1,000 men armed with outdated rifles and fortified by traditional magic. Against them stand Islamist extremists wielding Kalashnikovs and rocket launchers. These warriors, the last defenders of 300,000 Dogon people, fight in brutal conditions: 45-degree heat, scarce water, and little food.

Near Mopti, we gained rare access to four jihadist deserters, uncovering their recruitment tactics and revealing unexpected aspects of their daily lives.
Our journey then took us to Mauritania, a beacon of resistance against terror. There, we witnessed the elite Special Intervention Groups (GSI) tracking and eliminating jihadist cells along the Malian border with light aircraft and ground forces. Even deep in the desert, Mauritania’s specialized police patrols on dromedaries, gathering intelligence from nomadic tribes.
This film offers an immersive look at an escalating war—where frontlines shift, alliances blur, and jihadist influence knows no borders.