Bamako, Mali –
Long queues stretched outside gas stations across Mali’s capital on Tuesday, as residents faced a worsening fuel crisis caused by a militant blockade that has cut off vital fuel supplies for weeks.
The shortage follows a blockade declared in early September by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an armed group affiliated with al-Qaida, which has been attacking fuel tankers entering Mali from neighboring Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Bakary Coulibaly, a roadside fuel vendor in Bamako, said he was struggling to find petrol to sell. “It is only a few stations that have it,” he explained, as motorcycles and cars crowded around limited outlets, leading to heated disputes among motorists.
Douga Barry, a motorcycle taxi driver, expressed determination amid the crisis. “We know we are at war, whatever the situation, and we are ready to take it on. Even if we have to stop our motorcycles to walk, we are ready for it,” he said.
Analysts warn the blockade is severely straining Mali’s already fragile economy and undermining the military junta’s promises to restore security since taking power in 2021. Despite being a leading African gold producer, Mali remains one of the world’s least developed nations, with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line.
According to the Malian Petroleum Importers Association, over 100 tanker trucks have been burned or destroyed by JNIM fighters in recent weeks. The Malian army has since begun escorting fuel convoys to protect them along key trade routes from Senegal and Ivory Coast.
In a statement issued Monday, the army reported destroying militant hideouts linked to a recent attack on a convoy in the Kolondiéba area, near the Ivorian border, as part of efforts to secure the country’s fuel supply lines.
