In Mali, the blockade enforced by the Jnim, a jihadist organization affiliated with al-Qaeda, has escalated significantly. Over the past weekend, at least ten intercity buses were set ablaze along the crucial Ségou-Bamako route, which serves as the capital’s primary supply corridor from the eastern part of the country. Concurrently, electrical infrastructure connected to the Manantali hydroelectric dam, located in the Kayes region, suffered targeted destruction. The Malian army continues its operations across multiple fronts; however, it has yet to alleviate the tightening economic grip on the nation.
Manantali: a strategic target in a war of attrition
The sabotage of equipment linked to Manantali is far from a minor incident. This dam, managed through a multilateral agreement involving Mauritania and Sénégal under the Organisation pour la mise en valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), represents a vital component of Mali’s electrical grid. By attacking its power evacuation lines, the Jnim is no longer solely targeting defense and security forces; it is striking at the very core of the urban economy. Power outages in these areas immediately lead to the paralysis of public services, businesses, and industries.
This aggressive strategy extends a campaign initiated weeks ago, characterized by the systematic targeting of fuel convoys originating from Sénégal and Côte d’Ivoire. The jihadists aim to leverage fuel shortages as a political tool, betting on the erosion of public support for the transitional authorities led by General Assimi Goïta. Bamako, a city long relatively untouched, is now becoming the central arena for this battle of attrition.
Army response and partial resumption of flows
In response to this multifaceted offensive, the Malian general staff reports ongoing ground and air operations across various regions. Military escorts have facilitated the entry of hundreds of tanker trucks into Bamako in recent days, offering temporary relief to overwhelmed service stations. Nevertheless, this logistical reprieve remains precarious; each convoy demands substantial resources, and achieving long-term security for national roads appears unfeasible in the short term.
The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) also confront a dual challenge. In the west and center, the Jnim intensifies ambushes and infrastructure destruction. Further north, in the Kidal region, a tense stalemate persists, with new clashes seemingly inevitable against the rebel groups of the Cadre stratégique permanent. The Bamako government is thus navigating two distinct battlefields, with its human and material resources increasingly stretched.
A tightening regional equation in West Africa
The Malian blockade now transcends national borders. Neighboring economies, particularly those of Sénégal, Mauritania, and Côte d’Ivoire, are observing with growing concern the deterioration of West African trade corridors. The slowdown in goods traffic impacts the ports of Dakar and Abidjan, a significant portion of whose transit typically served the Sahelian hinterland. The Confédération des États du Sahel, comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, is currently struggling to formulate a coordinated response to the economic warfare waged by jihadist groups.
The assault on Manantali also raises questions about shared installations within the OMVS. Any further damage would directly affect the electricity supply to Sénégal and Mauritania, transforming a Malian issue into a broader regional problem. External partners, including financial backers and military suppliers, will need to balance supporting Bamako’s asserted sovereignty with the imperative of protecting critical cross-border infrastructure.
On the ground, the stark contrast between the army’s operational claims and the reality of a capital under severe pressure underscores the unprecedented nature of this phase of the conflict. The Jnim is no longer merely seeking to control territory; it aims to suffocate an entire state.
