MALI — A United Nations report states that an estimated $50 million ransom was paid in 2025 for the release of a hostage seized by al-Qaeda-linked terrorists in Mali. Three regional sources identified the United Arab Emirates as the country that made the ransom payment.

The United Nations report did not identify the hostage or specify who made the payment. Regional security sources stated that an Emirati citizen and two other foreigners were freed after money changed hands. Two regional security sources said the two other hostages freed were from Pakistan and Iran.

According to theglobeandmail.com, the United Nations report states that an al-Qaeda affiliate, known as JNIM, collected the payment after kidnapping a member of its royal family. The United Nations report is dated August 10, 2026, and appeared on the UN website on August 11, 2026. It was presented to the UN sanctions committee behind closed doors in August 2026.

The United Nations report stated that most of the ransom money went to fighters operating in the Sahel region. Most of the ransom was redistributed among katibas, which are groups operating across the Sahel region that are part of Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM). A portion of the ransom was allocated to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, a member of JNIM.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb passed some cash on to al-Qaeda core leadership and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Some of the ransom money flowed to al-Qaeda in Yemen and the organization's core leadership, which is likely located in Iran or Afghanistan.

JNIM has gained in strength since the Malian soldiers who seized power expelled French forces and some 15,000 United Nations peacekeepers, and turned to Russian paramilitaries for defense support. The United Nations report stated that JNIM has 7,000 to 8,000 fighters in Africa's Sahel region, half of whom are in Mali. Al-Qaeda-linked Sahel terrorists operate across territory in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and Togo.

In April 2026, JNIM fighters allied with separatist rebels attacked Mali’s capital and a string of towns across the country, killing the defense minister. A Malian soldier stood in position with his weapon during an attack on Mali's main military base Kati outside the capital Bamako on April 25, 2026. Soldiers from the al-Qaeda-linked National Front for the Liberation of Azawad patrolled the streets of Kidal, Mali, on May 8, 2026. In June 2026, JNIM issued a statement offering millions of euros for information on the whereabouts of Mali's president and top military officials.

JNIM’s 2025 ransom payment enabled the group to impose a fuel blockade in Mali, forcing school closures and causing fuel shortages in Bamako, as documented by regional security sources. Security sources stated that previous ransoms for foreigners are generally in the range of $4 million to $6 million. The United Nations report stated that JNIM sees kidnappings both as a funding source and as a way to undermine confidence in state security. A UAE official stated, "UAE continues to strengthen its counter-terrorism efforts through active engagement in relevant international and regional frameworks, and through sustained efforts to cut off sources of extremist financing and counter extremist ideology."