France has issued an advisory for its citizens in Mali to exit the country urgently due to ongoing blockades by Islamist insurgents. The French foreign ministry recommended that citizens utilize available commercial flights and advised against overland travel. This warning is in response to a two-month fuel blockade imposed by an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, impacting daily life in the capital, Bamako, as well as other areas in the landlocked West African nation, which was a former French colony.
Additionally, the shipping company MSC, the largest in the world, announced it would suspend operations in Mali citing the blockade and deteriorating security conditions. The jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) is reportedly responsible for the blockade, having attacked fuel tankers on key roadways. Since Mali lacks a coastline, fuel must be transported from neighboring countries, including Senegal and Ivory Coast.
In relation to the crisis, the US embassy in Bamako had previously declared that it would withdraw non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families. They indicated that fuel shortages were compromising electricity supply and could unpredictably affect overall security.
Currently, Mali is ruled by a military junta led by General Assimi Goïta, who initially took power in a coup in 2020. The junta garnered popular support with promises to address the longstanding security challenges stemming from a separatist rebellion in the north that was later co-opted by Islamist militants. A UN peacekeeping mission and French forces had been deployed in 2013 to counter the intensifying insurgency, but both have since departed following the junta’s takeover. The military government has since engaged Russian mercenaries to address the insecurity, yet significant portions of northern and eastern Mali remain outside of government control.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clykx22x5deo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss