Mali: Fuel blockade brings nation to a standstill

Mali has been brought to a standstill by the ongoing fuel blockade that has forced educational institutions to close and left hospitals battling power cuts, according to BBC News on November 12th.

Since September, the country has been under a blockade imposed by the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group that is fighting the country’s military government. The ongoing violence has forced thousands to flee after jihadist forces surrounded their towns.

JNIM forces have attacked fuel tankers entering the country, with tanker drivers being kidnapped by the group. This is part of a broader campaign by the group to destabilise the military junta government.

BBC News, Maghrebi.org