Overview
- Al‑Qaida‑linked JNIM has imposed a fuel embargo by attacking convoys on routes to Dakar and Abidjan, constricting supplies to Bamako.
- France has told its nationals to leave the capital where possible, following earlier warnings and drawdowns by the United States, the United Kingdom and other European countries.
- Abductions have surged, with at least 22 foreigners kidnapped between May and October, largely in western Mali, doubling the previous record from 2022.
- About €50 million was reportedly paid two weeks ago to al‑Qaida‑affiliated captors who seized an Emirati royal family member and two associates near Bamako.
- Since France’s 2022 withdrawal, the junta’s reliance on Russian mercenary groups, including Wagner and Africacorps, has not stopped jihadist gains toward the capital.