Travelers heading to Bamako in Mali are facing severe disruptions due to blockades on major roads imposed by the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (Jnim) following attacks on April 25 that targeted multiple locations across the country.

Last week, militants set fire to dozens of transport and cargo vehicles en route to the Malian capital. While some transport companies continue to operate within the country, others have suspended services entirely.

Extended travel times and canceled trips

Our visit to a well-known transport company in Bamako on May 11 coincided with the arrival of a bus from Mauritania that had departed Nouakchott the previous week. The journey, which typically takes four days, was recounted by a migrant we’ll call Mody for security reasons.

Mody was traveling to Bamako to celebrate Eid al-Kabir, scheduled for May 27. « We left Nouakchott last Thursday at 7 AM and arrived in Gogui, near the border, at 11 PM, » he shared. « The drivers warned us the route was risky. We spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights there. Sunday morning, we heard a Malian military convoy would escort us. After a long wait, we finally left without military protection to reach Diéma in Mali. That’s when we learned the buses ahead of us had all turned back on orders from Jnim militants. »

A company representative confirmed that about ten of their buses are currently stranded in neighboring countries, with two being burned over the weekend on national highways.

A week of waiting

In the same area, another transport company connecting Bamako to several Malian cities, including Ségou in central Mali, has passengers stranded for nearly a week without tickets for departure.

Seyba, a 60-year-old man from Ségou, shared his experience: « I need to return to Ségou, but no buses are available right now. I came to offer my condolences after a relative’s passing, but the roads are deemed too dangerous. I’ve checked four other companies, and the situation is the same. If I can’t find a vehicle to go back, I’ll stay with relatives in Bamako. »

The company’s manager, speaking off the record, revealed that five of their buses were destroyed by Jnim militants last Saturday as part of their blockade strategy targeting Bamako. For now, the company has suspended all services to and from the capital.