Mali’s capital, Bamako, is under a crippling blockade imposed by the al-Qaeda–linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), in a crisis that The Times warns could bring down the ruling military junta.
The blockade, in place since September, has cut fuel supplies by 80%, triggering an economic paralysis, the closure of schools and factories, and soaring transport costs, all of which have fueled growing public discontent.
The military government led by General Assimi Goïta is now isolated both domestically and internationally, while the armed group has expanded its reach into seven countries across the Sahel region, becoming a formidable regional power.
In a sign of worsening conditions, the U.S., British, and French embassies have instructed their citizens to leave Mali immediately.
Analysts warn that a collapse of the regime — whether through a popular uprising or another coup — is becoming an increasingly plausible scenario.
