France has advised its citizens in Mali to leave as soon as possible, as Islamist insurgents continue their blockade of the country.
The French foreign ministry recommended departing via commercial flights while they remain available and avoiding overland travel.
A blockade on fuel supplies, imposed by an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, has severely disrupted daily life in the capital, Bamako, and other areas of Mali.
This announcement comes as the world’s largest shipping company, MSC, has declared it is halting operations in Mali due to the blockade and deteriorating security conditions.
The jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has caused the obstruction by attacking fuel tankers on major highways, critical since Mali relies entirely on imported fuel from neighboring countries like Senegal and Ivory Coast.
As the crisis deepens, the US Embassy in Bamako has also ordered non-essential diplomatic staff and their families to evacuate.
Fuel shortages have led to electricity supply issues and could threaten overall security in unpredictable ways.
Currently, Mali is under the rule of a military junta led by General Assimi Goïta, who initially gained popular support through promises to tackle an ongoing security crisis related to a separatist rebellion erupted in the north by ethnic Tuaregs, ultimately hijacked by Islamist militants.
The region has been a hotspot for jihadist takedowns, prompting UN peacekeeping missions and previous French military interventions since 2013. However, both entities have left following the junta's rise and the hiring of Russian mercenaries to deal with the unrelenting insecurity.
Notably, large parts of northern and eastern Mali still remain beyond government control, leaving the situation critically precarious.
