Mali on the Edge. The Sahel in the Balance. (Feat. Stuart)

In this episode, with help from friend of the pod, Stuart Bolus, Gav and Dave dig into the April 25th attacks across Mali in which jihadist groups working in concert with Tuareg separatists managed to hit multiple cities, shut down key infrastructure and killed the Defense Minister and other key members of the ruling Junta. This highlights an increasingly uncomfortable situation where Mali, a critically important country in the geographical and cultural center of the region, increasingly looks and behaves like a state on the brink of total collapse. We talk about what this means for the region, why outside assistance will likely not be coming (not for the government anyways) and why we’d all be surprised if the Malian government lasts until the end of 2026.If you enjoyed the episode, please leave us a comment, send us an email, or better yet—subscribe for more. We love hearing from our On the Fringe community! All the best from us On the Fringe,Dave and Gavin This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit onthefringepodcast.substack.com/subscribe