In a significant move to counter the ongoing jihadist insurgency, Malian authorities have officially prohibited the use of motorcycles with an engine capacity of “125 cm3 and more” nationwide, excluding the capital and various administrative centers. This decree was broadcast on national television on Wednesday, June 3rd, as the West African nation grapples with an unprecedented security crisis.

Motorcycles have become a primary mode of transportation for jihadist groups operating within Mali, a country plunged into an escalating security challenge over recent weeks, exacerbated by militants imposing a blockade on Bamako. An inter-ministerial order, publicly announced on national television Wednesday evening, explicitly states: “The circulation of motorcycles with an engine capacity of 125 cm3 and more, outside major urban areas, is suspended across the entire national territory.”

The “district of Bamako, regional capitals, cercle capitals, and arrondissement capitals” are exempt from this new regulation

According to the official document, this directive does not apply to the “district of Bamako, the capitals of Regions, Cercles, and Arrondissements.” Furthermore, in a separate statement, the government also announced the immediate suspension of “the importation, transit, commercialization, sale, and gratuitous distribution of motorcycles with engine capacities of 125cm3 and more, along with their associated accessories (…) throughout the national territory.”

Mali faces a critical security situation following large-scale coordinated attacks launched on April 25th and 26th. These assaults were carried out by jihadists from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, alongside the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) rebellion, which is predominantly Touareg. Since April 30th, these militant groups have also enforced a stringent road blockade on several key arteries leading to the capital, Bamako, further impacting Mali current affairs and stability.