The U.S. Embassy in Mali has called on all American citizens to leave the country immediately, citing escalating terrorist threats and a deepening fuel crisis triggered by a jihadist blockade that has paralyzed daily life. In a security alert issued Tuesday, the embassy warned that overland routes are unsafe, with armed attacks and ambushes increasingly reported along major highways, particularly on roads linking Bamako to regional centers. U.S. officials advised travelers to depart via commercial flights while they remain available. “The security situation in Mali continues to deteriorate. Terrorist and criminal groups continue plotting kidnappings and attacks,” the embassy said. This marks the second warning in less than a week, following an earlier advisory urging Americans to avoid travel to the country due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping risks.
Jihadist Blockade Cripples Fuel Supply
The alert comes as Mali grapples with an acute fuel shortage caused by a blockade imposed by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) — an al-Qaida-affiliated group active across the Sahel.ince early September, JNIM fighters have torched more than 100 fuel trucks near the borders with Mauritania and Côte d’Ivoire, preventing essential supplies from reaching the capital. As a result, schools, hospitals, and universities have suspended operations, public transportation has stalled, and basic goods have skyrocketed in price. “The situation is unprecedented,” said Moussa Cissé, a Bamako-based energy analyst. “Fuel scarcity has effectively shut down parts of the economy even ambulances are running out of diesel.”
Expanding Insurgency Across the Sahel
JNIM, which emerged in 2017 through a merger of several jihadist factions, has intensified attacks across Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in recent months. Its fighters target both military positions and civilian convoys, exploiting power vacuums left by the withdrawal of international peacekeepers. The UN mission (MINUSMA) completed its pullout from Mali earlier this year, leaving the junta reliant on Russian Wagner mercenaries for security. However, analysts say the partnership has failed to stop the insurgency’s advance. More than 8 million people are now in need of humanitarian aid across Mali, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). With fuel dwindling and violence spreading, the U.S. Embassy’s message was clear: “Conditions in Mali are unpredictable and dangerous. U.S. citizens should depart immediately while commercial options remain available.”
