Jihad Strangles Mali, Foreigners Flee 0 2

Jihadists from the JNIM group, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, are trying to pressure Mali's military junta by "suffocating" the economy. Since September, they have been blocking roads and fuel supplies to several cities in the center and south of the country. This weakens the position of the junta, which has been in power since 2020 and is largely dependent on imports. Against this backdrop, foreigners are leaving Mali, and the country is sinking into an increasingly deep crisis.

Jihadists from the "Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin" (JNIM) are attacking fuel tankers on major roads leading to Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire, from where most of the imported goods come to Mali. Only a few trucks escorted by military personnel make it to the capital, Bamako, and other cities.

The JNIM group has stated that it considers "all roads" in the Bamako area to be "war zones." In the capital, there are long lines at gas stations, although the situation has slightly improved in recent days. Universities and schools have reopened after a two-week closure. The city continues to experience power outages and cancellations of public transport services.

The situation is even more complicated in other cities in central and southern Mali that are under blockade. According to media reports, cities like Mopti and Bandiagara have been without electricity for a month. In the city of Dioila, east of the capital, there is no gasoline available at any gas station.

Northern Mali is not affected by the blockade, as supplies to this region are provided by convoys from Niger.

The African Union is calling for "immediate international intervention" in the situation in Mali.

Amid the deteriorating situation, the United States and the United Kingdom announced two weeks ago the withdrawal of their non-essential personnel from diplomatic missions in Mali. Authorities in several countries, including France, have advised their citizens to leave the country.

The French embassy in Bamako remains open, headed by a chargé d'affaires. It provides consular protection for French citizens, who number around four thousand, according to the French Foreign Ministry.

Journalists report that at the international airport in Bamako, more and more foreigners are leaving the country, including many Chinese citizens. However, there is no panic observed.