Mali’s Deepening Fuel Crisis: Humanitarian and Political Fallout Amid Jihadist Blockades By Alkrty, Human Rights Activist

 

Mali’s Deepening Fuel Crisis: Humanitarian and Political Fallout Amid Jihadist Blockades

By Alkrty, Human Rights Activist

Crisis Overview

Mali is facing a worsening fuel crisis triggered by jihadist blockades on major transportation routes. The al-Qaeda-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has intensified attacks on tanker convoys, effectively cutting off fuel supplies to key regions.

The result has been crippling shortages in Bamako and other urban centers. In the capital, long queues at fuel stations and halted transport systems have paralyzed daily life. The city of Mopti has endured a month-long blackout, leaving communities in darkness and disrupting vital services.

Transitional President Colonel Assimi Goïta has publicly acknowledged the deadly ambushes on fuel convoys. However, instead of focusing solely on the insurgent threat, Goïta has accused private fuel operators of hoarding supplies and worsening the crisis—a move seen by observers as a political effort to deflect blame amid growing public frustration.