Gunmen attacked three industrial plants in Mali’s western Kayes region over the weekend, kidnapping three to four civilians and causing extensive damage, local sources said Monday. The assaults are part of ongoing operations by the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, which has imposed a fuel blockade and targeted industrial and mining facilities across the country in recent months. “After the economic blockade, the terrorists want to shut down the factories,” a Malian security official told the news, noting that government reinforcements were deployed to the area.
Ibrahima Diawara, CEO of a calcium carbonate, lime, and plaster plant near Bafoulabe, said his facility suffered “considerable damage,” while two other nearby plants were also set on fire. Wamaps, a West African security news group, reported that nearly 160 militants on motorbikes participated in the attacks. Officials noted that the Kayes plants had been targeted previously in recent months. No group has officially claimed responsibility.
JNIM has previously warned that industries and foreign companies operating in Mali without its “authorization” would be attacked. These attacks and abductions are believed to fund the group through ransom payments. Since September, the jihadists’ fuel blockade has disrupted supply chains, contributing to severe shortages in Bamako in October and November, which caused widespread power cuts and paralyzed parts of the economy.
