As part of a strategy to strangle Mali's capital, elements of the terrorist group Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM, banned in Russia) attacked trucks carrying goods on the highway connecting Bamako to the southern city of Bougouni. This occurred shortly after the group officially announced a complete blockade of all roads leading to the capital on April 30.

Eyewitnesses report that jihadists have blocked traffic, including on the highway leading to the border with Côte d'Ivoire, through which the landlocked capital receives a significant portion of its imported goods and fuel. At checkpoints, militants are stopping and inspecting vehicles, and forcibly turning back trucks. Drivers waiting to pass told Western media of deteriorating conditions and shortages of food and water.

This tactic represents a further expansion of the fuel blockade JNIM established back in September 2025. The group has consistently attacked fuel tankers and trucks carrying goods on routes from neighboring countries to Bamako, leading to shortages and rising prices. JNIM spokesman Abu Hudhayfa al-Bambari previously openly declared fuel convoy drivers to be legitimate military targets.

The group's activity increased significantly following coordinated attacks on the capital and several cities on April 25, which killed Mali's Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara. Meanwhile, Malian army forces and the Russian Afrika Korps continue patrolling and escorting convoys, but the militants generally avoid direct clashes, focusing on disrupting logistics.