France Urges Citizens to Leave Mali Amid Jihadist-Imposed Fuel Blockade

Bamako, Mali - France has urged its citizens in Mali to leave the country “as soon as possible” as Islamist insurgents continue to enforce a fuel blockade that has crippled daily life across the nation.

In a statement issued by the French Foreign Ministry, Paris advised its nationals to depart using available commercial flights and to avoid overland travel, citing mounting insecurity and growing logistical challenges.

The warning comes amid a two-month blockade orchestrated by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group that has attacked fuel convoys and tankers on major supply routes, effectively cutting off the landlocked country from vital imports.

The blockade has disrupted transportation, electricity, and trade in Bamako and other regions, worsening living conditions and sparking concerns over the government’s ability to manage the crisis.

Adding to the turmoil, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)-the world’s largest shipping line-announced it was suspending operations in Mali, citing security risks and the blockade’s impact on logistics.

Mali, which relies entirely on overland fuel imports from neighboring countries such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, has been under a military junta led by General Assimi Goïta since 2020. The government came to power promising to restore security after years of conflict involving separatist groups and Islamist insurgents.

However, the withdrawal of French forces and UN peacekeepers, alongside the arrival of Russian paramilitary contractors, has not curbed the violence. Vast areas of the north and east remain beyond state control.

Last month, the U.S. Embassy in Bamako ordered the departure of non-essential staff and their families, warning that the fuel shortage could further destabilize the country and “disrupt the overall security situation in unpredictable ways.”

As conditions worsen, international observers fear the blockade could deepen Mali’s humanitarian crisis and further isolate the junta-led government from its foreign partners.

Economy and Tech.