The United Nations has accused Al-Qaeda-linked militants of using approximately $50 million in ransom money — paid in late 2025 for the release of hostages in Mali — to finance a broad insurgency across the Sahel region. According to a new UN report, most of the funds were redistributed to fighters affiliated with JNIM (Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, the dominant jihadist coalition in Mali's Sahel), while a portion was passed on to Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Arabian Peninsula and to the group's central leadership. Regional sources suggest the United Arab Emirates made the payment to secure the release of an Emirati citizen and two other foreign nationals, though the UAE has not confirmed this, stating only its commitment to combating terrorism. The UN warned that kidnapping serves militants both as a revenue stream and as a tool to erode public trust in governments, and noted that JNIM now commands between 7,000 and 8,000 fighters across the Sahel, roughly half based in Mali.