According to Reuters, citing an official from Mali’s truck drivers’ union, several Malian transport companies have suspended operations along the Bamako–Dakar route following armed attacks that saw a bus torched and truck drivers abducted.
Diarra Transport announced an indefinite suspension of its services, while gunmen blocked the road between Bamako and the southern city of Ségou.
The incidents come as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) declared a blockade on the border areas of Kayes and Nioro, highlighting what security analysts say is the group’s growing influence and ability to enforce its threats.
In response, the Malian army carried out military operations, including airstrikes, and reported freeing hostages held by the militants. Meanwhile, JNIM claimed responsibility for killing one soldier and destroying several military vehicles during an attack on a barracks in the Ségou region.
