The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) has captured a high-ranking leader of the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS), Ahmad Ag Ditta, during a targeted military operation near Andéramboukane in the Ménaka region.
Ahmad Ag Ditta is believed to have held a senior coordinating role within the ISIS leadership, overseeing financial flows, including the transit of external funding and taxation of local populations. These resources were critical in financing ISGS’s military and logistical operations across the region.
The operation, conducted in the Tagadeyate sector, also resulted in the neutralization of several fighters and the seizure of a significant military arsenal, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The Ménaka region, long plagued by instability, remains a stronghold for ISIS-affiliated groups, who continue to commit attacks against civilians and defense forces. Authorities believe Ahmad Ag Ditta played a pivotal role in consolidating ISIS influence in the area by supporting violent operations and facilitating financial networks.
While this capture is expected to disrupt ISGS’s operational and financial mechanisms, security challenges in the Sahel remain significant.
ISIS affiliates continue to exploit regional vulnerabilities to maintain their presence and capacity for action.