The jihadist coalition Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), affiliated with al-Qaeda, has escalated its economic warfare against Mali by expanding its blockade around Bamako and striking critical infrastructure at the Manantali hydroelectric dam. Over the weekend, at least ten buses were set ablaze along the Ségou-Bamako corridor, a vital supply route into the capital from eastern Mali. Simultaneously, transmission lines linked to the Manantali facility in the Kayes region were deliberately damaged, plunging parts of the national grid into darkness.
Manantali under siege: how Mali’s electrical backbone became a battleground
Manantali Dam is far more than just a power plant—it’s a shared lifeline. Operated under the Organisation pour la mise en valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), a tri-national body involving Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal, the dam supplies a significant share of Mali’s urban electricity. By targeting its evacuation infrastructure, JNIM isn’t just striking military targets; it’s attacking the economic heartbeat of Bamako, where blackouts immediately paralyze hospitals, markets, and factories.
This latest assault is part of a calculated campaign that has intensified in recent weeks. Fuel convoys from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have been repeatedly ambushed, turning hydrocarbon shortages into a political weapon. The jihadists aim to erode public confidence in the transitional government led by General Assimi Goïta by weaponizing scarcity. Once sheltered from the worst of the conflict, the capital is now at the center of a grinding war of attrition.
Army counters with risky logistics amid mounting pressure
In response, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) have escalated ground and air operations across multiple fronts. Military escorts have escorted hundreds of fuel tankers into Bamako over the past week, temporarily easing pressure on gas stations under siege. However, this lifeline remains fragile—each convoy demands heavy security, and the prospect of securing Mali’s national highways in the near term appears increasingly distant.
FAMa faces a double squeeze. In central and western Mali, JNIM continues to ambush convoys and sabotage critical infrastructure. In the north, the Kidal region remains locked in a tense standoff, with rebel factions from the Permanent Strategic Framework reportedly preparing for renewed clashes. Bamako now operates on two fronts, with dwindling human and material resources stretched thin.
The blockade ripples across West Africa
The siege on Mali has evolved into a regional crisis. Neighbouring economies—Senegal, Mauritania, and Côte d’Ivoire—are feeling the strain as trade corridors through the Sahel slow to a crawl. Ports in Dakar and Abidjan, which once funneled goods deep into the Sahara, are seeing reduced throughput. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has yet to forge a unified response to the jihadist economic offensive.
The attack on Manantali raises urgent questions about shared infrastructure under OMVS management. Further damage could disrupt electricity supplies to Senegal and Mauritania, turning a Malian crisis into a transboundary emergency. External partners—donors and military suppliers alike—now face a stark choice: uphold Bamako’s sovereignty or prioritize the protection of critical cross-border assets.
On the ground, the gap between military claims of control and the lived reality of a city under siege underscores the conflict’s shifting phase. JNIM is no longer content with territorial control—it seeks to suffocate the state itself. Renewed clashes are expected in the coming days, particularly around Kidal.