Mali denies releasing jihadists to halt fuel convoy attacks

As Mali grapples with the ongoing fuel blockade, the Malian military (FAMA) has denied releasing jihadists in a deal to halt attacks on fuel tanker convoys, according to Africa News via AFP on March 31st.

It was reported on March 23rd that over 100 suspected jihadists were released in exchange for “the opening of a corridor to allow convoys of tanker lorries to pass through.”

Members of the Fulani community were also released under the deal; the group faces persecution throughout the Sahel over alleged Islamist ties.

At a March 30th press briefing, FAMA’s director of information and public relations, Souleymane Dembele, said the claims are “intended to tarnish Mali’s image and undermine trust between the people and their institutions.”

He added, “This is pure manipulation, completely unfounded and lacking any reliable source.”

Mali has been under a fuel blockade imposed by the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) since September 2025.

JNIM exploited Mali’s landlocked status and reliance on fuel imports from neighbouring countries, such as Niger, to bring the country to a standstill by blocking key supply routes.

The blockade is designed to destabilise the military junta government installed following the 2021 military coup.

Islamists envision that destabilising and ultimately overthrowing the junta will lead to the establishment of an Islamic Republic in Africa.

Although it was reported in February that Mali’s fuel supply had been largely stabilised, Bamako residents have experienced diesel shortages since early March.

Mali’s internal strife is not limited to jihadist insurgencies, as Tuareg separatists have also waged war against the government since 2012 and launched attacks against FAMA and Russian auxiliaries in the north.

Tensions at the Mauritanian border are also rising, with FAMA being accused of killing multiple people since February, with many of the victims being from the Fulani community.

On March 23rd, Mauritanian authorities warned citizens against travelling to Mali over safety concerns after two Mauritanian herders were killed in Mali’s western Kayes region, which is also near the Senegalese border.

Within days of this warning, FAMA allegedly raided several villages in Gogui commune, situated in the Hodh El Gharbi region, on March 25th; they retreated after villages refused to remove a Mauritanian flag.

FAMA and Russian auxiliaries had previously conducted cross-border raids in April 2025 when they stormed a village in pursuit of Tuareg separatist rebels.

Africa News via AFP, Maghrebi.org