The U.S. Embassy in Mali has urged American citizens to leave the country immediately amid worsening security conditions caused by a jihadist fuel blockade.
Militants linked to Al-Qaeda, known as the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), have been attacking fuel tankers coming from Senegal and Ivory Coast—routes vital for Mali’s imports. Their recent operations around the capital, Bamako, appear aimed at cutting it off from the rest of the country.
In a statement, the embassy cited “unpredictable security conditions” and disruptions in fuel supplies, school closures, and armed clashes near Bamako as reasons for its warning. It advised Americans to depart using commercial flights as soon as possible.
Last week, the U.S. State Department also authorized the evacuation of non-essential staff and family members from Mali.
Mali has faced over a decade of conflict involving jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, alongside criminal militias. The situation has worsened since the country’s two coups in 2020 and 2021, which left it under military rule.
