Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) – Mali’s capital, Bamako, is increasingly being encircled by jihadist fighters linked to the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), following a series of coordinated attacks and territorial losses that have weakened government control across parts of the country.
The escalating pressure comes in the wake of unprecedented assaults targeting the heart of the regime in Kati, near Bamako, where the Defense Minister was killed. Elsewhere, Malian forces have reportedly lost control of several strategic towns to rebel groups, compounding fears of a broader national crisis.
Major Access Routes Disrupted
Since Wednesday, multiple key roads leading into Bamako have been blocked or severely disrupted, effectively tightening the noose around the Malian capital.
To the west, traffic along the Bamako–Kéniéba corridor has ground to a halt. In Sorybougou, less than 80 kilometers from the capital, more than 1,000 vehicles, including buses, trucks, and private cars, have been immobilised. Stranded passengers, many without access to water, are reportedly scattered in nearby forest areas.
“We were stopped here in Sorybougou. They said no vehicle can proceed to Bamako,” one driver recounted. “There are dozens of buses and heavy trucks. People are exhausted, and they don’t even have drinking water. No one has been attacked, but the road is completely cut off; even motorcycles cannot pass.”
Civilians Turn Back as Restrictions Tighten
Further along the same axis, some travellers have been forced to abandon their journeys altogether. One commuter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they turned back after reaching Néguéla.
“We left Kéniéba for Bamako and passed Kita, but at Néguéla we were told the road was blocked and there was no way forward. The only option was to turn back. It’s a very worrying situation,” the traveler said.
Similar restrictions have been reported on the Bamako–Sikasso road. In Ouélessébougou, JNIM fighters have imposed a strict blockade on all vehicles heading toward the capital. A bus traveling from Bougouni was reportedly intercepted near Keleya, about 100 kilometers from Bamako, and forced to reverse course.
To the east, the Bamako–Kourémalé route has also been paralyzed, with hundreds of vehicles stranded in Naréna. On the Bamako–Ségou axis, transport operators are resorting to обход routes, navigating through the Faya forest and crossing the Kayo bridge toward Koulikoro in a bid to reach the capital.
According to multiple sources, jihadist fighters are allowing residents to leave Bamako but are preventing vehicles from entering. Despite the blockade, some buses have reportedly managed to reach the city by avoiding major highways.
Meanwhile, Russia has reaffirmed its military support for Mali’s ruling authorities. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said Moscow would continue assisting Bamako in its fight against extremism, rejecting calls from rebel groups for a Russian withdrawal.
“The Russia will continue, including in Mali, the fight against extremism, terrorism, and other negative phenomena,” Peskov said during a daily briefing, underscoring Moscow’s commitment amid mounting instability in the Sahel nation.
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