Nigeria TV Info – Mali Military Government Faces Mounting Public Anger as Islamist Blockade Threatens Economy

Mali’s transitional military government is grappling with mounting public anger following a widening blockade imposed by Islamist militants on strategic highways linking the country to Senegal and Mauritania—a move analysts warn could choke the economy and destabilise the wider region.

In a rare public admission, Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga acknowledged the severity of the crisis and pledged enhanced security operations along critical transport routes. The blockade, orchestrated by al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), marks a major escalation in Mali’s decade-long jihadist insurgency.

The insurgents have mounted roadblocks on vital corridors through Kayes and Nioro-du-Sahel, which serve as key arteries for importing fuel, food, and manufactured goods. Truck drivers face extortion, ambushes, and arson, with several fuel convoys—including lorries from Senegal, Mauritania, and Ivory Coast—already attacked.

Entire communities are feeling the impact, with markets shuttered, public services disrupted, and transport companies forced to suspend operations.