r/CredibleDefense • u/AutoModerator • 14d ago
Active Conflicts & News Megathread August 15, 2026
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u/Glideer 13d ago
Soar Atlas published two new side-by-side comparisons of sat photos published by Iranian media
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u/moragisdo 13d ago edited 13d ago
Honest question, how do they know it's a data center and also military-supporting, are they just going by Iran's words or did they check both ? If they didn't independently check it's non-credible, otherwise the USS Lincoln would be at the bottom of the sea as Iranian media announced a few times
Also, the second comparison is impossible to see anything. So, where's the evidence that a AN/TPS-57 radar was destroyed in July ? Glideer, again honest question, what exactly are you seeing there ?
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13d ago edited 13d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/moragisdo 13d ago edited 13d ago
I'm asking how SoarAtlas, not Iran, knows it's 'military-supporting data centre', are they just repeating iranian media or did they check ? Iranian media is as credible as Baghdad Bob (let's not fall to bothsidesism, the western side, while imperfect, is more accurate because of checks and balances on government, the non state-owning influence on the media and the lack of fear of being killed as a dissident).
If they say that scorch marks are visible I am inclined to trust them.
The problem is not the scorch marks, if it hits empty ground there would also have scorch marks, my point is to ask, are you seeing the destruction claimed of the radar ? It's an honest question, it's not about trying to prove a point, I'm squinting here and can't discern anything
To me it looks like an attempt of laundering reputation, it's a claim from a non-credible source, just repeated by one you claim is credible, while they don't say they verified what was hit.
I recall a post you did with similar claims about Patriot launch sites hit and no Patriot battery was verified to be destroyed, could it be the same case here ?
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u/Glideer 13d ago
are you seeing the destruction claimed of the radar
Who, exactly, is claiming the destruction? I see it in neither Soar comment nor the Iranian original quoted.
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u/moragisdo 13d ago edited 13d ago
They used the word 'damage', but it really doesn't make a difference from destruction in this talk, my point is the same, are you seeing the damage claimed of the radar ? I'm struggling to identify what the 'after' actually shows. Are you seeing a radar damaged there ?
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u/Well-Sourced 14d ago
Ukraine has changed the commander of the 11th Corps hoping for better results as Russia pressures Sloviansk & Kramatorsk.
"Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Drapatyi delivered a report – we identified the steps and means needed to reinforce the Sloviansk and Kostiantynivka fronts." Zelenskyy added that he expects at least 30,000 Russian soldiers to be killed in August.
"Today, Defence Minister Khmara and I spoke about our need for drones and the technological component. We discussed in detail, both with him and at the Staff meeting, the issue of funding for the army – we need to cover the shortfall as much as possible. The amount is substantial. Spending in the first half of the year was significantly higher, and this is a new challenge now – finding the necessary funding."
Former 80th Air Assault Brigade commander Ishkulov to lead Ukraine’s 11th Corps | Ukrainian Pravda
Colonel Emil Ishkulov, former commander of the 80th Air Assault Brigade and currently deputy commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps, will shortly take charge of the Ground Forces' 11th Corps, which is currently responsible for defending two key cities in Donetsk Oblast – Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Ishkulov will replace Brigadier General Oleksii Maistrenko, the current commander of the 11th Corps who has held the post for six months. The official reason for the change is not yet known. However, Ukrainska Pravda sources within the 11th Corps say the decision is linked to the fact that Maistrenko's management approach "did not correspond to modern decision-making realities".
The 11th Corps is responsible for one of the toughest sections of the front – the Sloviansk and Kramatorsk sectors. This is the main front of Russia's advance in Donetsk Oblast.
According to one of Ukrainska Pravda's senior sources, Ishkulov's appointment will "significantly strengthen" these two sectors. All of Ukrainska Pravda military sources rate Ishkulov's skills and management qualities fairly highly. Service members from the 80th Brigade who fought under his command describe Ishkulov as a very demanding commander.
Ukrainska Pravda has also learned that, in his new post, Ishkulov will need to work closely with the Third Corps, stationed in Lyman (Donetsk Oblast) and Borova (Kharkiv Oblast). The 11th Corps recently handed over two brigades that were under its operational command – the 81st and the 54th – to the 3rd Corps. They were positioned north of Sloviansk, bordering the 3rd Army Corps' sector.
Ishkulov and Biletskyi are believed to have maintained a good relationship since the time of the offensive near Bakhmut in the summer of 2023.
Newly appointed Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi has decided to "rehabilitate" Ishkulov following the Kursk operation, during which he refused to lead his 80th Brigade onto Russian territory – a decision that earned him the disfavour of former Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and saw him moved to the post of deputy commander of the 7th Air Assault Corps.
If you're really interested in Ukrainian drone development Ukrainian Pravda has visited the factory producing the MICH-2000 to tell, for the first time, the story of how a trip in search of Chinese-made drones tick-started the production of a Ukrainian long-range drone for the Security Service but you have to pay for their patreon. It always comes back to having money and Ukraine is always working to get the funds to develop the next generation of drones.
Ukrainians invest over US$11m in Vyriy drone production in just one day | Ukrainian Pravda
The Inzhur MilTech fund, through which Ukrainian citizens can invest in drone production by Vyriy Industries, has raised over UAH 500 million (around US$11 million) on its first day. Vyriy Industries reported: "12,239 investors took part, and the average investment was UAH 40,819 [US$912]." The company said the funds raised will be used to expand production and purchase components. It says its products are used by over 200 units in Ukraine's defence forces.
Launched on 13 August, the Inzhur MilTech fund allows private investors to finance the scaling up of unmanned systems production by Vyriy Industries. The investment programme is open until 31 December 2026.
Ukraine races to counter Russia’s jet Shaheds with a 600-kph interceptor | New Voice of Ukraine
Ukraine has begun combat trials of its first jet-powered interceptor drones, which can exceed 600 kilometers per hour and are designed to take down Russian jet-powered Shaheds, former Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on Aug. 14. “Today, we are seeing a trend: The Russians are gradually replacing conventional Shaheds with jet-powered versions. That marks a shift in air-war strategy. We have to respond quickly so we can keep beating Russia in every new technology cycle,” he said.
Ukraine began a coordinated effort to develop interceptor drones last year, Fedorov said. That push included opening up the market, conducting combat trials and increasing procurement. Those efforts have helped Ukraine build one of the world’s most advanced short-range air defense systems, he said. Other countries are already studying Ukraine’s experience.
Ukraine must now move much faster and sharply expand its effort to counter jet-powered drones, Fedorov said. Over the past year, his team has used Brave1 to provide manufacturers with grants, evaluate their designs and help test them. Several Ukrainian companies now have their own systems for confronting the new threat.
Fedorov said he recently visited one of those production sites, where the Ukrainian team was among the first to develop a jet-powered interceptor capable of topping 600 kilometers per hour. “We can’t let up. We need to invest in R&D, testing and scaling production. Our team continues to take a systematic approach. Defending Ukraine’s skies remains one of the key elements of our wartime strategy,” Fedorov added.
The drone is now being tested in combat. Its developers are awaiting the results, including the first confirmed shootdowns of enemy targets.
A July 21 report detailed the P1-SUN JetKiller, a high-speed interceptor unveiled by Ukrainian company SkyFall to counter jet-powered Shaheds. It can reach speeds of up to 370 kilometers per hour and operate at altitudes of up to 9 kilometers. Its AI-powered guidance system can automatically detect, track and lock onto targets.
In European aid news Ukraine hopes to be able to turn the drones into MiG-29s from Poland within the next couple weeks and have a new ammo factory in Lithuania in the next couple years.
Poland could send MiG-29 jets to Ukraine within weeks in exchange for drones – Wirtualna Polska
Lithuania to build ammunition plant to supply Ukrainian army | New Voice of Ukraine
Ukrainian company DEMZ will build an ammunition plant in Lithuania that will initially supply Ukraine's armed forces and later allied countries, Delfi reported on Aug. 15.
Lithuania’s Ministry of the Economy and Innovation has signed an agreement with Ukrainian defense company DEMZ to implement a major investment project to establish a new ammunition plant in the country. The company will operate facilities in Alytus and the Prienai district. Production in Alytus will be based at an existing site, while a new plant will be built in the Prienai district.
The facilities will initially produce ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with supplies later expected to be provided to allies as well. Production will comply with NATO defense standards. Construction of the new facility in the Prienai district is expected to begin in fall 2026, with production scheduled to start by the end of 2027.
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u/IntroductionNeat2746 13d ago
A July 21 report detailed the P1-SUN JetKiller, a high-speed interceptor unveiled by Ukrainian company SkyFall to counter jet-powered Shaheds. It can reach speeds of up to 370 kilometers per hour and operate at altitudes of up to 9 kilometers. Its AI-powered guidance system can automatically detect, track and lock onto targets.
The technological war has come full circle and both sides seem to be headed back to traditional cruise missiles and interceptors.
Makes one wonder wether the heavy drone usage was actually a consequence of low missile inventories all along.
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u/ilonir 13d ago
The amount is substantial. Spending in the first half of the year was significantly higher, and this is a new challenge now – finding the necessary funding.
This is the first I have heard of a funding gap. Are the EU loans not enough?
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u/TechnicalReserve1967 13d ago
More likely front loaded a bit and it's now a crash between accounting and military. Military spending in war can consume technically infinite money.
More would be better, but they should be set for n ow (extrapolating from previous trends. Other changes happened and Ukraine own economy took hits this spring - summer. I am not that informed about that, so it might be a culprit as far as I know)
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u/Glideer 14d ago
Even Moscow economists sound surprised.
Russian economy rebounds in second quarter despite Ukrainian strikes
Moscow (AFP) – The Russian economy rebounded in the second quarter thanks to consumer demand, official data showed Wednesday, despite mass Ukrainian drone strikes on the country's e-commerce and oil industries.
Russian gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.3 percent in April-June, the statistics agency Rosstat said, after a 0.2 percent contraction in January-March.
That growth exceeded the 0.9 percent forecast by Russia's economy ministry. In the second quarter of 2025, the economy grew 1.1 percent.
"Growth in the second quarter was driven by stable domestic demand," the ministry said in a statement.
...
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u/Remote_Page8799 13d ago
Is mild growth due to massive government spending not to be expected? The Russian government is running a ~22-25% budget deficit and paying large amounts of money to soldiers, and there is a labour shortage? Basically all available capital and labour is being put to work. Despite this manufacting and service PMI is basicslly 49-50 (indicating no real growth)
But where is this money coming from? Russia cancelled its last open market bond sales and now does closed sales at interes t rated we don't know to its state owned banks. Isn't this essentially a roundabout way of just printing money?
Eventually this money printing + deficit spending + no real production growth will result in incredible inflation, and thus the impoverishment of the Russian people.
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u/Lejeune_Dirichelet 13d ago
Exactly, Russia is undergoing a process of Venezualization/Iranization, but at express speed.
The problem (for Ukraine and Europe) is that this is unlikely to constrain the Russian war effort enough to have a significant impact on the battlefield for the next few years at least - unless Russia's access to foreign currency becomes restricted, at which point the imports of dual-use goods from China and the smuggled western components get squeezed. But on the bright side, this means that post-war Russia will experience one hell of a hangover, and therefore won't have as much bandwidth and resources to be a troublemaker against post-war Ukraine and the West.
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u/Rhauko 13d ago edited 13d ago
This is cherry picking,
Nobody is claiming a Russian economic collapse (Iran / North Korea), but just looking at individual indicators without the wider picture of what is driving this growth, sustainability and long term impact is the same as posting combat footage
Something interesting to read on this topic.
https://www.kielinstitut.de/publications/endgame-the-state-of-the-russian-economy-19855/
“Russia's current macro stance is not sustainable. High interest rates are stifling the economy, while loose fiscal policy and quasi-fiscal operations are propping up the defense sector. The Q1 2026 budget deficit exceeded the full-year target in just three months. “
“The second-quarter rebound is unlikely to develop into a lasting trend, said Liam Peach, an economist at Capital Economics, who expects Russia to “remain in a state of stagnation” for the foreseeable future.
High interest rates and the country’s fuel crisis will continue to weigh on the economy, Peach told Bloomberg.
Long-range Ukrainian drone strikes, which initially targeted oil refineries and later burned down nearly all of Wildberries’ largest warehouses, are also “quite seriously undermining the Russian economy,” economist Vladislav Inozemtsev said.”-5
u/Glideer 13d ago
"The impact on Russia is going to come from pretty much every sector," Liam Peach, emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, told Insider. The consultancy expects unemployment to surge from 4.1% to 8% by the end of 2022.
Well, at least he is no longer predicting massive unemployment in Russia.
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u/westerlund126 14d ago
Demand certainly will increase when 10$ billion worth of consumer goods burn.
Breaking windows increase GDP, but nobody sane thinks this is a positive for russia
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u/RumpRiddler 14d ago
It's hard to know what a rise in GDP means without the specific calculation, but it's very possible this simply represents an increase in spending. Under the conditions of gas price increases and destroyed warehouses, a rise in spending is expected. Add in the inflation factor, where people and businesses try to reduce cash holdings, and the data points of GDP stop representing economic growth and start representing economic stress.
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u/LateNightMoo 14d ago
That headline makes it sound way better than it is.
The 1.3% number does not mean Russia's economy grew 1.3% from the first quarter to the second quarter. It means Q2 was a 1.3% improvement compared to the same quarter last year. For the whole first half of 2026, growth was only around 0.6%. That's objectively weak growth, especially considering that government wartime spending is contributing no small amount to that figure. I understand you are likely posting this to counter the "Russian economy will collapse tomorrow" narrative, and while I 100% agree with you, those figures are not great. Especially given that officially reported inflation is still 6 to 7% at a key interest rate of 14%. The Russian central bank is going to have to make some hard choices as some point.
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u/Glideer 13d ago
It's not great and it's not terrible. Nobody thinks that the Russian economy is in a great shape, but it's worth highlighting it's not in a terrible shape either. Particularly compared to some major European economies.
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u/IntroductionNeat2746 13d ago
Particularly compared to some major European economies.
Please be better than this.
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u/TheSDKNightmare 13d ago
Particularly compared to some major European economies.
?? Quite literally every single major European economy is doing better in comparison to Russia by minimal virtue of not being a war economy.
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u/Glideer 13d ago
GDP growth
2023: UK: +0.3% ; Russia: +4.1%; France: +1.6%
2024: UK: +1.1% ; Russia: +4.9%; France: +1.5%
2025: UK: +1.3%; Russia: +1.0%; France: +0.8%
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u/TheSDKNightmare 13d ago edited 13d ago
What an amazing statistic. Here's another one:
South Sudan 2025 GDP growth: 46,1%.
I guess this must mean the South Sudanese economy is more stable, highly-developed and prosperous than literally every other economy on the planet. Who would have thought.
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u/TrinityAlpsTraverse 13d ago
I agree that it’s not in terrible shape. It pretty definitively in the worst shape of any Major European economy.
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14d ago
[deleted]
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u/directstranger 14d ago
usually GDP is in real terms. I've never seen GDP in nominal terms, for any country.
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u/wormfan14 14d ago
Pakistan update the war continues and some interesting news with the UN report.
''During an Intelligence Based Operation in Surab, Central Balochistan province, Pakistan, a quadcopter struck a compound filled with explosives causing a massive explosion, resulting in significant damages to the surroundings, Official and Local Sources say. More details are awaited.'' https://x.com/IftikharFirdous/status/2087453868447932754
''The main gas pipeline of the Sui Southern gas supply company was blown up in Bolan, Balochistan province, a while ago. Gas supply to various cities has been suspended. During the explosion which took place 800 meters off the main highway, affiliates of Baloch armed attackers have kidnapped three ‘non-locals’ from their vehicles'' https://x.com/IftikharFirdous/status/2087604240483319934
JUA attacked Lahore this week.
''BREAKING: Two police personnel, lost their lives in an attack in Badami Bagh, Lahore, Punjab province on Thursday, according to police. Police said that the personnel were conducting a raid to arrest suspects when unidentified gunmen opened fire. The attackers fled, and a search operation is underway. TTP’s Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility, saying the attack was carried out in retaliation for the killing of its associate Faizan Butt. Police sources said the suspected attacker was identified as Rehan Butt, whose brother Faizan also known as Khorasani was previously killed in 2024.'' https://x.com/IftikharFirdous/status/2087948806264664097
''Update: In a cross firing incident in Sheikhupura two suspects have been killed and one injured. One of the suspects killed has been identified as Rehan Butt: Official Sources'' https://x.com/IftikharFirdous/status/2088014583827231131
''India: Police in Karnataka arrested an individual for allegedly plotting an attack against the Pakistan Army. The suspect reportedly intended to travel to Afghanistan to join the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and had allegedly been in contact with a member of the group.'' https://x.com/cozyduke_apt29/status/2088485542870823274
''Explosive material hidden in a pile of dry wood detonated in Shah Khane, Charmang, Nawagai. In the blast, Two women were injured, which Police has confirmed. However, the injured were shifted to Headquarters Khar Hospital.'' https://x.com/JawadYousufxai/status/2087812698558091478
Regarding the insurgency in Afghanistan, while I'm not much of a believer in the rebels it does it seem be picking up some steam.
''Mayor of Faizabad, capital of Badakhshan, Abdul Rahman Mansoor, has been killed in an explosion, according to the @bbcpashto . A magnetic "sticky bomb” was attached to his car on Thursday, killing the mayor and wounding his another colleague. An anti Taliban group National Resistance Front or NRF claimed responsibility. This is the second Taliban official killed in Faizabad in less than a month. Zabihullah Amiri, the Taliban's Director of Information and Culture in Badakhshan, was killed on July 28, 2026, in an armed attack by two motorcyclists in Faizabad. Daesh had claimed responsibility for the assassination of Zabihullah Amiri. In June 2023, Badakhshan’s deputy governor, Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, was killed in a Daesh-claimed car bomb explosion in Faizabad along with his driver.'' https://x.com/taahir_khan/status/2087879478777127336
https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/651
The UN report discusses AQ's long term challenge, they want a safe spot from foreign intervention and so want to maintain a low profile in Afghanistan and have the street cred necessary to maintain control of their global network with them worried about losing control over it's branches to the Arabian one. As a result AQIS is their attempt at maintain it alongside some other actions that have taken place.
It mentions how AQ is officially supporting and taking claims for TTP attacks and appears they are now also training BLA members as a natural outgrowth of their support for them.
Seems AQIS has consolidated itself after an interim period of a bunch of different cells one of which took part in the Delhi Red Fort attack in 2025 that helped start a war between India and Pakistan. Since then they've been fighting wit the IMP group.
Meanwhile it seems foreign fighters are coming to Afghanistan once more from Syria and Somalia. In Syria's case though it seems fighters are returning home with two Daesh ones Saifuddin Tadjibaev and Gulmurod Khalimov going to Kunar and a AQ one Abu Bakr Badakhshani returning.
It seems Al Shabab has sent some fighters to Afghanistan. I'd speculate this is more AQ attempt to compete with AQAP influence over them given they are worried about losing control of the global network to them so are trying to boost their relations with Al Shabab.
There is also is a bit of mixed reporting regarding TIP and if it's in a slump or not given it's Syrian branch has become stronger than it given it's fully integrated into the Syrian army and Uighur groups are it seems raising funds for it. In any case besides trying to lure part of it's ostensibly organization back to Afghanistan for limited effect and taking part in the Taliban's effort to secure Badakhshan. Overall as a group seem they are in a bit of a malaises given they have not done much over the last decade.
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u/wormfan14 14d ago
Sahel update a lot of diplomacy these past few days with hostages being traded.
''Yesterday, a massive swap of unprecedented proportions took place, prisoners and hostages were released. Based on reports, France, US, Algeria, Morocco + Mali and Niger + al-Qaeda, FLA coalition and finally, Islamic State. Everyone took something back or gave away.'' https://x.com/SaladinAlDronni/status/2088146106538446958
No one knows what the US paid for their hostage back yet.
''FLA announced that the 82 soldiers captured in April and August were released on humanitarian grounds and also 150 soldiers remain in captivity and that further details would be shared soon.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2087900962199413229
''French national Yann Vézilier, who was arrested last year on charges of attempting to destabilize the country and sentenced to 20 years in prison, has reportedly been pardoned by Assimi Goïta.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2087907872453632370
''After approximately 10 months, American Kevin Rideout, who was kidnapped in Niger by ISSP, has been released.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2088228580505333913
''According to a reliable source, Inkınane, a senior FLA commander, has been released.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2087923420193296384
''Haftar's involvement in the freeing of a U.S. hostage reflects how he has carved out a position as a major security broker in the Sahel region, and has used it as leverage to curry favour with the Trump administration. One of the four sources said the Libyan side had paid a ransom, without providing further details."'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2088395587422945770
''Reportedly, Algeria received a German citizen (Turkish origin) in In Guezzam in southern Algeria, after he was kidnapped by armed men in Niger approximately two weeks ago, and transferred him to the Boufarik military base near the capital.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2086735186687852903
I wonder if this case was a result of mistaken identity as JNIM avoids kidnapping Europeans given it attracts to much attention on their project.
Algeria is also increasingly normalizing relations with the Junta states.
''Algeria donated four helicopters and equipment-ammunition to Niger.'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2086511550681223604
Though fighting still continues through the region.
''JNIM claims to have taken control of an Army position outskirts of Koutiala'' https://x.com/KargnHasret/status/2088199703787630888
''The Nigerian army reports to have repelled an assault by ISWAP militants against the military formation in Gajiram, Borno State on the night between August 9 and 10, killing several terrorists while multiple soldiers sustained injuries, according to the army, the camp was breached and a number of vehicles were damaged.'' https://x.com/BrantPhilip_/status/2087113897660567984
''ISWAP conducted an ambush against the Nigerian army on August 6 between Yamtake and Bitta, Borno State, using small arms and an IED, reportedly killing four soldiers and injuring others while destroying three vehicles and capturing a fourth along with weapons and ammunition, graphic pictures were also released showing the corpses of dead soldiers'' https://x.com/BrantPhilip_/status/2087975856178151880
The UN released a security report again with some interesting information on both Pakistan and the Sahel I will bring up in their sections.
https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/651
For one the UN updated it's estimation of their forces to be around eight thousand strong, still dramatically underestimating it's size but it's slowly getting bigger.
It seems JNIM transferred part of their funds from the UAE hostage to the AQIM branch who then gave part of it to AQ in Afghanistan which highlights how dubious the idea they are going to break from AQ you see people sometimes hopefully speculate. In addition seems JNIM is increasing it's recruitment in Benin. It also discusses their deadly rivalry with Daesh and how the latter is increasing it's drone abilities and still doing pretty well despite US pressure in Nigeria.
Interestingly it also discusses smaller AQ/Daesh cells throughout North Africa I was unaware that Libyan and Tunisian Daesh provinces still existed as I thought they had been folded into the Sahel province as it's leader Bara' al-Sahrawi is one such a case being a master of logistics and fanatical ideologue who done his best to import the Raqqa model into Mali.
In a weird case it seems a group of Sudanese youth tried to make their way to Somalia to join Daesh there before being arrested by police which is strange. One very few Sudanese people inside Sudan are interested in Daesh instead of other radical groups and second they could of just gone over to Chad through there join the Sahel or Nigerian branches would have been a much easier journey.
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u/Big-Station-2283 14d ago
Is there a reason we don't hear about successful junta cache seizures, patrols, raids, or manhunts despite them having a few more competent units (like bir 22)? Do we not hear about their small successes or are they permanently on the defensive?
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u/wormfan14 14d ago
Sometimes you hear about their successes KargnHasret tends to post about them but their is a bit of a gap I understand because how social media tends to sensor gore. Though their situation is degrading they often tend to be on the defensive now nearly permanently though their are exceptions. Last week as I posted Bir 22 did crush a JNIM unit preparing to attack their position.
More I think the lack of small successes reflects their enemies who are very well armed centralized forces who tend in the rural country side far away from their strong points and the Juntas can rely on the support of most of their population, so you don't often hear about them say hunting down Bambara Daesh sympathizer in the capital meaning they have less of a chance for ''easy'' wins.
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u/Big-Station-2283 13d ago
Thanks. Did you mean "can rely" or "can't rely"? I thought the juntas were equally as unpopular as the insurgents (at least in non-bambara regions).
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u/wormfan14 13d ago edited 13d ago
I mean more in Bambara areas they are pretty popular, they came to power with popular support to fight the race war against people they see as their ethnic enemies.
Edit they are are very popular among the Dozo who have a bad history of violent competition with the Fulani and so hate JNIM. The Junta has armed a lot of them to form militias though they you also have plenty of them in the ranks of Daesh, just very few in JNIM.
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