Travelers in Mali are facing severe disruptions following recent jihadist attacks and subsequent blockades on key roads leading to Bamako. The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has enforced these restrictions after coordinated strikes on April 25 targeted multiple regions, forcing transport companies to suspend operations and stranding passengers nationwide.

In the past week, militants torched dozens of transport and freight vehicles en route to the capital. While some companies continue limited services, many have halted operations entirely. The blockade has left communities isolated, with supply chains disrupted and families unable to reunite for significant events like Eid al-Adha, scheduled for May 27.

Extended journeys and canceled trips

Bamako’s main transport hubs report severe delays and cancellations. One traveler, a Malian migrant we’ll call Mody for safety, shared his harrowing journey from Nouakchott, Mauritania, to Bamako—a trip that should take four days but has now stretched into a week-long ordeal.

« We left Nouakchott last Thursday at 7 AM and arrived in Gogui, near the border, at 11 PM, » Mody recounted. « Transport operators warned us the route was too dangerous. We spent Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights waiting there. Sunday morning, we were told a Malian military convoy would escort us. After hours of waiting, we departed without the convoy and reached Diéma in Mali. That’s when we learned buses ahead of us had all turned back on orders from JNIM militants. »

A transport company spokesperson confirmed that over ten buses are stranded in neighboring countries, with two vehicles burned on national roads this past weekend. Operations have since ground to a halt for many carriers.

Passengers wait for alternatives

In another sector, travelers bound for Ségou—a central city—have been waiting a week for available transport. Seyba, a 60-year-old from the region, explained his predicament: « I needed to return to Ségou after attending a funeral, but no buses are operating. All companies cite safety concerns. I’ve checked four others, and the situation is the same. If I can’t find a ride, I’ll stay with relatives in Bamako until it’s safe. »

The owner of a local transport company, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed losing five buses in Saturday’s attacks. « JNIM militants burned them to enforce the blockade, » he stated. The company has since suspended all routes to and from Bamako, leaving passengers with no reliable options.