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Mali Alleges Outside Orchestration as France Urges Citizens to Leave During Jihadist Fuel Blockade

The campaign aims to sap the junta’s legitimacy, with shortages crippling electricity, education, transport.

Overview

  • France advised nationals to plan a temporary departure due to deteriorating security and attacks on roads, as the United States and United Kingdom previously pulled non‑essential staff and MSC paused Mali operations.
  • Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said the fuel crisis was artificially created from abroad and claimed the attackers receive external support intended to provoke unrest.
  • The government says army units are escorting fuel convoys toward Abidjan, Dakar and Conakry with support from partners in the Sahel Confederation of States.
  • The blockade has forced intermittent operation of thermal plants, power cuts of up to 10 hours in Bamako, a two‑week suspension of schools, and wider disruption to harvests and services.
  • Analysts report JNIM seeks to delegitimize or topple the regime yet lacks capacity to capture Bamako, while local officials say the junta is probing a truce under new army chief General Toumani Koné.