More than 100 suspected jihadists have been released in Mali as part of a deal aimed at halting attacks on fuel convoys that have crippled the country’s economy in recent months.
The agreement follows a series of assaults by fighters linked to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, which had targeted tanker convoys since September last year. At the peak of the crisis in October, the attacks brought activity in the capital, Bamako, to a near standstill.
Local officials confirmed that the release of the detainees was tied to the reopening of a secure corridor that allows fuel trucks to move without being attacked.
Sources said the truce has already eased tensions, with convoys now passing through previously dangerous مناطق without disruption.
Security insiders also revealed that many of those freed were young men, including members of the Fulani ethnic group, who are often caught up in counterterrorism operations due to suspected links with armed groups.
The temporary agreement is expected to remain in place until the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, known locally as Tabaski, which will be observed later in May.
Mali has been battling a deepening security crisis since 2012, driven by extremist groups, armed militias, and criminal networks operating across the country.
