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Jihad in the Dust: Evolution and Conflict in the Central Sahel
The Central Sahel is one of the world's deadliest conflict zones, yet the West often misunderstands why.
Jihad in the Dust exposes the reality of the conflict consuming Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Jorge Balula, a Portuguese Army officer who served on the ground with the EU Training Mission, challenges the standard narrative. He argues that the violence driving groups like al-Qa'ida’s JNIM and the Islamic State isn't just about faith—it is about survival and profit.
Through analysis of conflict data from 2018 to 2025, Balula reveals how specific economic tactics—cattle rustling, gold mining, and extortion—fuel the insurgency more than ideology does. The book contrasts JNIM’s strategy of "calculated moderation" against the Islamic State’s self-defeating brutality, showing exactly why one group is winning while the other fails.
This is not a distant academic study; it is a hard look at the reality of modern terrorism. For military professionals, policymakers, or anyone trying to make sense of West Africa’s collapse, this book provides the clear, evidence-based answers you need to understand the threats looming in 2026.
Jihad in the Dust exposes the reality of the conflict consuming Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Jorge Balula, a Portuguese Army officer who served on the ground with the EU Training Mission, challenges the standard narrative. He argues that the violence driving groups like al-Qa'ida’s JNIM and the Islamic State isn't just about faith—it is about survival and profit.
Through analysis of conflict data from 2018 to 2025, Balula reveals how specific economic tactics—cattle rustling, gold mining, and extortion—fuel the insurgency more than ideology does. The book contrasts JNIM’s strategy of "calculated moderation" against the Islamic State’s self-defeating brutality, showing exactly why one group is winning while the other fails.
This is not a distant academic study; it is a hard look at the reality of modern terrorism. For military professionals, policymakers, or anyone trying to make sense of West Africa’s collapse, this book provides the clear, evidence-based answers you need to understand the threats looming in 2026.
189 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2026
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