In Mali, the blockade enforced by the JNIM—a jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda—has escalated to an unprecedented level. Over the weekend, at least a dozen passenger buses were set ablaze along the critical Ségou-Bamako route, the primary supply corridor linking the capital to eastern regions. Concurrently, electrical infrastructure connected to the Manantali hydroelectric dam in the Kayes region was deliberately targeted and destroyed. While Malian armed forces continue their counteroffensives across multiple fronts, they have yet to break the economic stranglehold tightening around the country.
Manantali: a strategic target in a war of attrition
The deliberate sabotage of Manantali’s operational capacity is far from incidental. The dam, co-managed with Mauritania and Senegal under the Senegal River Basin Development Organization (OMVS), serves as Mali’s primary electricity backbone. By striking its transmission lines, the JNIM is no longer merely engaging security forces—it is directly undermining the lifeblood of urban life, where power outages instantly paralyze public services, businesses, and industries.
This campaign follows weeks of systematic attacks on fuel convoys entering from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. The jihadists are weaponizing hydrocarbon shortages, betting on eroding public trust in the transitional authorities led by General Assimi Goïta. Bamako, once shielded from the worst of the conflict, now finds itself at the epicenter of a grinding battle of endurance.
Army’s countermeasures and fragile respite
Confronted with this multi-pronged assault, Malian military command reports sustained ground and aerial operations across several regions. Military escorts have facilitated the entry of hundreds of fuel tankers into Bamako in recent days, providing temporary relief to gas stations under siege. Yet this logistical reprieve remains fragile: each convoy demands substantial resources, and the long-term security of national roads appears increasingly unattainable. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) face a dual threat. In western and central zones, the JNIM is intensifying ambushes and infrastructure sabotage. To the north, in the Kidal region, tensions remain locked in a tense stalemate, with renewed clashes likely against elements of the Permanent Strategic Framework. Bamako’s leadership is thus navigating two distinct battlefields with dwindling manpower and matériel.
A regional crisis deepens
The blockade’s repercussions extend well beyond Mali’s borders. Neighboring economies—particularly those of Senegal, Mauritania, and Côte d’Ivoire—are witnessing the strain on West African trade corridors. The slowdown in goods movement is impacting ports in Dakar and Abidjan, where a significant share of traffic traditionally feeds the Sahel hinterland. The Sahel States Confederation, uniting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has yet to forge a cohesive response to the jihadist-led economic warfare.
The attack on Manantali also raises urgent questions about shared OMVS facilities. Further damage could directly disrupt electricity supply to Senegal and Mauritania, turning a Malian crisis into a regional emergency. External partners, including development donors and military suppliers, must now weigh their commitment to Bamako’s sovereignty against the imperative of protecting transboundary critical infrastructure.
On the ground, the disconnect between the army’s operational claims and the harsh reality of a besieged capital underscores the conflict’s evolving nature. The JNIM is no longer content with territorial control—it seeks to suffocate the state itself. Renewed fighting is anticipated in the coming days, particularly around Kidal.
