Bamako — In Mali, a fuel blockade imposed by jihadist militants has crippled the nation’s economy and daily life, pushing the landlocked West African country to the brink of paralysis. The al-Qaida-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has been attacking fuel convoys and cutting supply routes since early September 2025, effectively severing the capital, Bamako, from key import corridors through Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire.
The blockade has sent shockwaves through the country’s fragile economy. Petrol stations have run dry, and the few that remain open are besieged by long queues stretching for kilometres. Transport fares have soared, and in many towns, public transport has halted altogether. Residents now walk long distances to work or school, while some hospitals and businesses struggle to operate due to severe fuel and electricity shortages. “Our business is at a standstill,” said a motorbike-taxi driver in Bamako, echoing the frustration of millions.
Analysts describe JNIM’s campaign as a form of economic warfare. By targeting fuel — the lifeblood of a landlocked nation — the militants aim to undermine the state’s authority and deepen public discontent. Their strategy has crippled logistics, disrupted markets, and eroded public confidence in the military-led government. Electricity blackouts have become routine, schools have closed, and the government’s emergency reserves are reportedly nearly depleted.
For Mali’s junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup, the crisis poses its greatest challenge yet. The regime, already battling insurgencies across vast parts of the country, now faces a new front — one that threatens the capital itself without a single shot fired inside it. The blockade, according to observers, demonstrates the jihadists’ evolving tactics: shifting from rural ambushes to nationwide economic strangulation.
The government has attempted to respond by organizing military-escorted fuel convoys and appealing to regional partners for emergency supplies. However, attacks on highways and fuel tankers continue, deterring many drivers from venturing out. International partners have expressed alarm, with several foreign embassies advising citizens to limit travel or prepare for shortages.
As the blockade enters its third month, Mali’s humanitarian situation worsens. Prices of food and essentials have soared, schools and factories are closing, and hospitals warn that fuel for generators could soon run out. With no clear resolution in sight, the crisis threatens to deepen instability in a region already scarred by conflict.
For millions of ordinary Malians, life has slowed to a painful crawl — a stark reminder that in modern warfare, power can be seized not only with guns, but by cutting off the fuel that keeps a nation moving.