France’s foreign ministry has issued an urgent advisory for its nationals in Mali to leave the country “as soon as possible,” citing a deteriorating security situation and a crippling fuel blockade imposed by jihadist militants. The warning comes amid growing instability in the West African nation, where daily life has been severely disrupted.
The blockade, now entering its third month, was launched by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-linked group. Militants have targeted fuel tankers on key highways, setting dozens of trucks ablaze and effectively cutting off Mali’s supply routes from neighboring countries like Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Long queues at petrol stations, widespread power outages, and school closures have become the norm in the capital Bamako and other regions. The Geneva-based shipping giant MSC has suspended operations in Mali, citing the blockade and worsening security.
France’s advisory recommends citizens leave via commercial flights while they remain available and warns against overland travel due to terrorist threats. “Travel by land remains inadvisable, as national roads are currently the target of attacks by terrorist groups,” the ministry stated.
The crisis has prompted similar action from other nations. The US and UK have already evacuated non-essential diplomatic staff and their families, citing the unpredictable security environment.
Mali’s military-led government, headed by Gen Assimi Goïta since a 2020 coup, has struggled to contain the insurgency. Despite hiring Russian mercenaries and severing ties with UN peacekeepers and French forces, large swathes of the country remain under militant control.
President Goïta recently urged citizens to reduce fuel consumption and pledged to “do everything possible to deliver fuel,” though critics have called his response a “terrible admission of failure”.
The French government has reiterated its stance against travel to Mali “regardless of the reason,” and continues to monitor the situation with “genuine concern.
The London Christian Radio.
