Gao region, Mali: conflict statistics
Organized violence recorded by UCDP in Gao region, data through 31 Jul 2026. Population about 544,120 (Wikidata).
Violence in Gao region, Mali intensified over the 90 days to 31 Jul 2026: 19 events against 9 in the prior quarter (+111%), with 140 estimated deaths.
Over the 12 months to 31 Jul 2026, 43 events and 196 estimated deaths were recorded in Gao region. That is +16% on the previous 12 months. UCDP's low and high estimates put the death toll between 189 and 213. 77% of events were classed as state-based armed conflict. Civilian deaths in the same period: 35. Relative to population, that is 79.0 events per million people.
The most active conflict pairing over the last 12 months was Government of Mali - JNIM (18 events, 71 estimated deaths).
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Jan 2026Dec 2025Nov 2025Oct 2025Sep 2025Aug 2025Jul 2025
Events in Gao region, last 12 months
Monthly trend
Hotspots within Gao region, last 12 months
| Area (second-level) | Events | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Gao cercle | 21 | 43 |
| Ansongo cercle | 9 | 23 |
| Bourem cercle | 8 | 123 |
40,347 internally displaced people recorded in Gao as of 30 Apr 2023. Source: IOM DTM via HDX HAPI.
Deadliest recorded events, last 90 days
| Date | Where | Parties | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul 2026 | Bourem cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs FLA State-based, 7 sources | 52 |
| 5 Jul 2026 | Bourem cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs JNIM State-based, 5 sources | 33 |
| 9 Jul 2026 | Bourem cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs FLA State-based, 11 sources | 23 |
| 4 Jul 2026 | Bourem cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs FLA State-based | 11 |
| 14 May 2026 | Ansongo cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs IS State-based, 4 civilian, 3 sources | 6 |
| 4 Jul 2026 | Gao cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs JNIM State-based, 10 sources | 4 |
| 22 Jul 2026 | Gao region | Government of Mali vs JNIM State-based | 2 |
| 3 Jul 2026 | Gao cercle Gao region | Government of Mali, Government of Russia vs Civilians One-sided, 2 civilian | 2 |
| 1 Jul 2026 | Gao region | Government of Mali vs JNIM State-based | 2 |
| 10 May 2026 | Gao cercle Gao region | Government of Mali vs JNIM State-based | 2 |
Most recorded parties, last 12 months
| Party | Events | Est. deaths in those events |
|---|---|---|
| Government of Mali | 33 | 178 |
| JNIM | 22 | 76 |
| IS | 12 | 24 |
| FLA | 9 | 90 |
| Government of Mali, Government of Russia | 2 | 6 |
| Unidentified armed group | 1 | 3 |
Conflict pairings, last 12 months
| Pairing | Events | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Government of Mali - JNIM | 18 | 71 |
| Government of Mali - FLA | 9 | 90 |
| Government of Mali - IS | 6 | 17 |
| IS - JNIM | 4 | 5 |
| Government of Mali, Government of Russia (Soviet Union) - Civilians | 2 | 6 |
| IS - Civilians | 2 | 2 |
Type of violence, last 12 months
| Category | Events | Share |
|---|---|---|
| State-based armed conflict | 33 | 77% |
| Non-state conflict | 4 | 9% |
| One-sided violence against civilians | 6 | 14% |
Frequently asked questions
How many conflict events were recorded in Gao region in the last 12 months?
UCDP recorded 43 organized-violence events in Gao region between 1 Aug 2025 and 31 Jul 2026, with an estimated 196 deaths (range 189 to 213).
Is violence in Gao region increasing or decreasing?
Increasing. Events in the last 90 days (19) were up +111% on the preceding 90 days (9).
Who are the main armed actors in Gao region?
The parties recorded in the most events over the last 12 months were Government of Mali (33 events), JNIM (22 events), IS (12 events), FLA (9 events).
What kind of violence is recorded in Gao region?
UCDP classes events as state-based armed conflict, non-state conflict, or one-sided violence against civilians. In Gao region, 77% of events over the last 12 months were state-based armed conflict.
Where does this data come from?
Event counts and death estimates come from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) Georeferenced Event Dataset and its monthly Candidate Events releases, published under CC BY 4.0. Figures use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. Data on this page runs through 31 Jul 2026.
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Jan 2026Dec 2025Nov 2025Oct 2025Sep 2025Aug 2025Jul 2025Jun 2025May 2025Apr 2025Mar 2025Feb 2025Jan 2025Dec 2024Nov 2024Oct 2024Sep 2024Aug 2024Jul 2024
Other regions of Mali
Mopti region · Segou region · Kidal region · Tombouctou region · Koulikoro region · Kayes region · Sikasso region · Ménaka region · Bamako region
Region names follow UCDP's first-level administrative coding. Counts use UCDP's "best" fatality estimate. See methodology.