Several thousand displaced residents from the Bankass district in central Mali have begun returning to their villages following local agreements with the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist organization.

Their return comes with stringent conditions imposed by the armed groups, including mandatory veiling for women and the banning of Western-style education in local schools.

Banned schools and enforced dress codes

The agreements extend to dress codes and religious practices, requiring men to wear short pants, shutting down public schools to prevent Western teachings, and mandating headscarves for women. These measures are now part of daily life in the returning communities.

In exchange, villagers—primarily from the Fulani and Dogon ethnic groups—have regained the right to resume their agricultural and pastoral activities as the rainy season begins in Mali.