UN says $50 million ransom fueled al Qaeda’s Mali campaign

UN experts have traced an estimated $50 million ransom, paid in late 2025 to free a hostage seized by al Qaeda-linked militants in Mali, to the financing of the group’s Sahel offensive and its global network. While the report does not name the captive or the payer, three regional sources identified the United Arab Emirates as the country that provided the money, which also freed an Emirati citizen and two other foreign hostages.

The UAE official declined to comment on specifics, reiterating the nation’s stance against extremism. According to the UN analysis, most of the cash was funneled to katibas operating under the Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), strengthening their ability to purchase arms, logistics and personnel across Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin and Togo. Portions of the sum also reached al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen, the Islamic Maghreb, and the core leadership believed to be in Iran or Afghanistan. The findings highlight how a single large ransom can reshape militant financing and expand terrorist influence in West Africa and beyond.