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Mali's fuel blockade cripples Bamako as jihadist group tightens grip
Bamako's streets, once filled with the hum of engines and blaring horns, now echo with the shuffle of footsteps as Mali's capital grapples with a crippling fuel shortage now stretching beyond two months. The crisis, orchestrated by the al-Qaeda-linked militant group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has paralyzed daily life, shuttered schools, and sent food prices soaring, leaving millions stranded in a deepening humanitarian and economic emergency.
Jihadist economic warfare cuts off Mali's lifeline
JNIM fighters have escalated their years-long insurgency by targeting fuel convoys, torching over 100 tanker trucks and kidnapping drivers along highways connecting Mali to neighboring Senegal and Ivory Coast. The landlocked nation, dependent on road imports for its fuel, now faces empty petrol stations, tripled transport fares, and hospitals struggling to power generators amid critical shortages.
At some filling stations, handwritten signs bluntly declare, "No fuel today," while drivers like Sidi Djiré, a taxi operator, describe waiting in line for four days without success. "Whether you're a vendor or a teacher, everyone's work has stopped," Djiré told the BBC, urging the military-led government to intervene as public frustration mounts.
Economic and social fallout deepens
Markets like Baco Djicoroni report food prices tripling as transport costs skyrocket and imported goods vanish from shelves. "Times are unbearably tough," said customer Assitan Diarra, who blamed the shortages on the fuel crisis. "We're at war. We pray for peace." Traders confirm the collapse of supply chains, with Amadou Traoré noting that "goods we once accessed easily are now out of reach" due to paralyzed logistics.
Hospitals face dire consequences. At Kalaban Coro Health Centre, Dr. Issa Guido warned that staff struggle to commute, let alone maintain emergency services. "Personnel can't even secure fuel to get to work," he said. Schools and universities, closed for two weeks, reopened Monday, but rural educators still fail to reach classrooms, exacerbating educational disruptions.
Government scrambles as public confidence erodes
The junta, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, has deployed army escorts for fuel convoys, but attacks persist despite the military presence. Reports indicate Mali is negotiating with Russia for emergency petroleum supplies and technical support to secure transport routes-a move critics call reactive rather than strategic. Meanwhile, the blockade has exposed the government's shrinking control beyond Bamako, undermining its 2020 promise to curb jihadist violence.
Geopolitical shifts and local despair
Mali's growing reliance on Russia-already a key military backer since French and UN forces withdrew-risks further alienating Western allies. The US and France have issued travel warnings, while the EU's strained relations with Bamako show no signs of improvement. For residents like welder Amidou Diallo, however, geopolitics pale beside immediate survival. "If this continues, crime will rise, and security will worsen," he warned, voicing fears of a spiral into deeper chaos.
"We're facing a crisis. If it drags on, people may turn to dangerous ideas."
Amidou Diallo, Bamako welder
Strategic stakes: JNIM's expanding front
Analysts note the blockade marks a shift in JNIM's tactics-from hit-and-run ambushes to sustained economic sabotage. By severing fuel supplies, the group has crippled Mali's infrastructure, forcing the government into a defensive posture while extending its influence into central and southern regions previously considered safer. The junta's struggle to break the siege raises questions about its long-term viability amid collapsing public services and waning international support.
