The Trump administration blames Russia for the deteriorating security situation in Mali, as the president is reportedly considering military strikes against an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group known as Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin.

The Alliance of Sahel States consists of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all West African countries where military leaders have seized power in recent years from democratically elected leaders, cut ties with Western countries, and turned to Russia for security help for their terrorism problems.