Mali jihadists tighten blockade on Bamako and attack power grid

In Mali, the blockade enforced by the Jnim, a jihadist group linked to al-Qaeda, has escalated to unprecedented levels. Over the weekend, at least a dozen buses were set ablaze along the critical Ségou-Bamako route, a vital supply corridor feeding the capital from the east. Simultaneously, electrical infrastructure tied to the Manantali hydroelectric dam in the Kayes region was deliberately targeted and destroyed. While the Malian army continues its counteroffensives across multiple fronts, it has yet to break the economic stranglehold choking the nation.

Manantali: a strategic target in a war of attrition

The sabotage at Manantali is far from a random act. Operated under a trilateral agreement involving Mauritania and Senegal through the Organisation pour la mise en valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), the dam serves as a backbone for Mali’s electrical grid. By striking its transmission lines, Jnim is no longer merely targeting defense forces—it is crippling the lifeline of urban life, where power cuts instantly paralyze public services, businesses, and industries.

This tactic is part of a broader pattern unfolding over weeks, characterized by systematic assaults on fuel convoys arriving from Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. The jihadists aim to weaponize fuel shortages, betting on eroding public confidence in the transitional government led by General Assimi Goïta. Once relatively insulated, Bamako now finds itself at the heart of a grinding conflict.

Army’s response and partial relief in supply chains

The Malian military claims to be sustaining ground and aerial operations across several regions. Military escorts have facilitated the entry of hundreds of fuel tankers into Bamako in recent days, temporarily easing the siege on gas stations. Yet this reprieve remains fragile: each convoy demands immense resources, and the prospect of securing national highways in the near term appears distant.

The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) face a tactical dilemma. In western and central zones, Jnim continues to ambush convoys and demolish infrastructure. Further north, in the Kidal region, tensions simmer in a tense stalemate, with renewed clashes likely against rebels from the Permanent Strategic Framework. Bamako now navigates two distinct battlefields with dwindling human and material reserves.

A regional crisis deepens

The Malian blockade has spilled beyond national borders. Neighboring economies—particularly those of Senegal, Mauritania, and Côte d’Ivoire—are increasingly alarmed by the disruption of West African trade corridors. The slowdown in goods transit is straining ports in Dakar and Abidjan, where a significant share of cargo traditionally moves inland toward the Sahel. The Confédération des États du Sahel, uniting Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has struggled to forge a unified response to the economic warfare waged by jihadist factions.

The attack on Manantali also raises urgent questions about shared infrastructure under the OMVS. Further damage could directly impact electricity supply in Senegal and Mauritania, elevating a Malian crisis into a regional emergency. External partners, including financiers and military suppliers, now face a delicate balance: supporting Bamako’s sovereignty claims while safeguarding critical transboundary assets.

On the ground, the gap between the army’s operational claims and the reality of a besieged capital underscores the unique nature of this conflict phase. Jnim is no longer vying for territorial control—it is strangling a state. Renewed fighting is anticipated in the coming days, particularly around Kidal.