Gambiaj.com – (BAMAKO, Mali) – Al-Qaeda–linked jihadists from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) have escalated their campaign in Mali by destroying dozens of fuel tankers and issuing new rules aimed at controlling movement across the country’s roads.
On Friday, October 17, a convoy of around fifty fuel trucks traveling from Ivory Coast to Mali was attacked near Kolondieba, in the Sikasso region, close to the border.
Despite a Malian military escort, JNIM fighters on motorcycles overpowered the convoy and set the tankers ablaze. Images of the destruction were later released by the group in propaganda videos. The Malian authorities have yet to disclose casualty figures from the assault.
The ambush follows another attack earlier in the week, on October 13, along the same road, as JNIM continues its blockade on fuel imports. The embargo has already caused severe gasoline shortages in several regions, including the capital, Bamako.
Hostages Shown in New Videos
Alongside the attack, JNIM released video proof of life of three hostages taken in recent weeks. They include Siaka Dembélé, president of the Ségou regional council, kidnapped on October 3, and two Malian soldiers abducted on October 9 in the Timbuktu region while returning from leave.
In the footage, dated October 15, the captives say they are being treated well and plead for negotiations—statements clearly made under duress.
Imposing Sharia-Based Rules on Travelers
In a separate move, the jihadists announced they were lifting a travel ban on Diarra Transport, a company they had targeted over alleged ties to the transitional government and the army. The company’s operations are set to resume on October 20, following what sources described as a tacit agreement between Malian authorities and JNIM.
However, the reprieve comes with conditions. JNIM declared that all travelers, whether using buses, personal vehicles, bicycles, or carts, must now comply with its new road rules. These include women being required to wear headscarves on public transportation, with bus companies expected to enforce the rule.
The new rules also impose a prohibition on any collaboration with Malian security forces, particularly in transport hubs.
The jihadists have also made it a requirement that drivers compensate victims in the event of accidents involving vehicles or animals.
Observers say the rules signal JNIM’s effort to extend its authority beyond rural strongholds and into everyday civilian life.
“The JNIM spokesperson speaks as if he were running the country,” one analyst noted. “They’re taking control of the roads.”
Malian Authorities Remain Silent
The transitional authorities in Bamako have not yet responded to the jihadists’ latest demands. For weeks, officials have urged Malians to remain “resilient” in the face of what they describe as the “last gasps of a desperate enemy.”
Yet for many travelers—especially women—the question remains: given the growing risks on the country’s roads, do they really have a choice?
