At least 40 fuel tankers were destroyed in Mali on Sunday when al Qaeda-linked insurgents attacked a convoy under military escort. The attack came after Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) declared a blockade on fuel imports to the country last week.
A source close to Mali’s chamber of commerce warned the nation could run out of fuel within two weeks entirely. Truckers’ union officials reported around 40 tankers were destroyed, while JNIM sources claimed the convoy had suffered losses of 80 vehicles.
In a video, JNIM’s spokesperson said Malian soldiers escorting the convoy fled, and the attack had targeted the Kayes region in western Mali. Mali’s army acknowledged it “suffered a terrorist attack” during a mission to secure people and goods traveling from Kayes to Bamako.
The military said it had reacted “vigorously” but declined to confirm the exact number of fuel tankers destroyed in the assault. Mali’s military government, which seized power in coups in 2020 and 2021, is under growing pressure from insurgents across the Sahel.
Analysts warn militant groups aim to encircle cities and towns, tightening control while destabilizing trade and daily life across Mali’s regions. The attack highlights the fragility of supply chains and the challenges faced by authorities in protecting critical infrastructure in conflict zones.