All hotspots / Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger)
Central Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger)
2 WATCHOne or two signals are above their normal range. Since .
Jihadist insurgency since 2012 (background). The level compares this region with its own past week, so a war that has gone on for years reads as Normal until something changes.
No civil-traffic or GPS measurement here: few receivers cover this region, so its level comes from military aircraft and conflict news.
The signals now
| Signal | Now | Normal |
|---|---|---|
| Tanker aircraft | 0 | 0 |
| Airborne radar (AWACS) | 0 | 0 |
| Surveillance aircraft | 0 | 0 |
| Military airlift | 0 | 0 |
| All military aircraft | 0 | 0 |
| Civil air traffic | n/a | n/a |
| GPS interference | n/a | n/a |
| Conflict news events | 2 | 1 |
| 24-hour buildup | 0.0 h | 0.0 h |
Normal = the average at this time of day over the past 7 days. Measured 2026-11-15 20:45 UTC.
Travel advisories
| Country | US State Department | UK Foreign Office |
|---|---|---|
| Mali | Level 4: Do Not Travel (2026-06-08) | Advises against all travel (2026-07-10) |
| Burkina Faso | Level 4: Do Not Travel (2026-05-04) | Advises against all travel (2026-10-26) |
| Niger | Level 4: Do Not Travel (2026-07-09) | Advises against all travel (2026-10-23) |
The latest advice for travellers from each government, checked hourly, with the date it was last changed. Shown for context; not part of the level. Sources: travel.state.gov (US Department of State) and GOV.UK foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0).
The last 7 days
Why these signals
- Tanker aircraft. Air-to-air refuelling stretches the range of fighters and bombers; tanker surges have preceded large air operations.
- Airborne radar (AWACS). Airborne early-warning aircraft run the air picture during operations and air defence alerts.
- Surveillance aircraft. Reconnaissance and signals-intelligence aircraft (RC-135, P-8, RQ-4) watch an area before and during a crisis.
- Military airlift. Heavy transports (C-17, A400M) move troops, munitions and air defence into a region.
- Civil air traffic. Airlines reroute and airspace closes before and during strikes, so the sky empties.
- GPS interference. Share of aircraft reporting poor position accuracy, a sign of GPS jamming or spoofing.
- Conflict news events. Assaults, fighting and mass violence located in the region by the GDELT news monitor.
- 24-hour buildup. Hours flown by tanker, radar, surveillance and transport aircraft over the past 24 hours. Before both strikes the map was tested on, this was the signal that rose first.