“in 30 years living in Bamako, this will be the first time i celebrate eid al-adha here,” laments Alpha Amadou Kané.

this 40-year-old native of Mopti, a city in central Mali, had to give up traveling to his hometown to celebrate this major muslim holiday with his family due to jihadist attacks targeting public transportation.

since late april, fighters from al-qaeda’s sahelian branch have enforced a partial blockade on key roads leading to the malian capital, torching dozens of buses and cargo trucks.

while the blockade remains incomplete, images of charred vehicles have deterred many transport companies from operating routes to Bamako and discouraged travelers from heading to their villages to reunite with family.

in Mali, eid al-adha transcends religious significance; it is a cherished social tradition that brings families—often separated for months due to work—together in celebration.

Bamako’s bus terminals, usually bustling ahead of the holiday, now sit eerily quiet. beyond insecurity, the transport sector is grappling with severe fuel shortages.

“we not only lack diesel to maintain regular service, but we’ve also lost several buses to recent attacks. it’s a massive economic blow,” confides the owner of a local travel agency under anonymity.

“normally, we transport over 50,000 people from Bamako to the countryside during eid al-adha week. this year, we’re not planning any trips,” admits the operations manager of a major transport company.

for Wara Bagayoko, the ritual was always the same: load the family car and head to the Ségou region (central Mali) for communal celebrations. this year, he’s breaking a 30-year tradition, as personal vehicles are now also targeted. “this will be the first time in 30 years i won’t celebrate in my village. the roads are too dangerous,” he sighs.

though large transport companies have largely halted operations, some minibuses still enter the city, either via detours or under military escort on certain routes.

shortage of sheep

the transport paralysis is strangling the livestock supply chain, critical for the ritual sacrifice of eid al-adha.

due to the blockade, herders and traders from pastoral zones struggle to transport their livestock to Bamako, the country’s primary market.

the cost of transporting a single animal to the capital, usually around 2,500 to 2,750 cfa francs (€4), has skyrocketed to 15,000–18,000 cfa francs (€22–27), explains Alassane Maïga, a transporter.

the result? sheep—sacrificed in memory of abraham’s willingness to offer his son—are scarce and exorbitantly priced this year, especially in a country where the minimum wage is 40,000 cfa francs (€60).

“many trucks carrying sheep were torched by jihadists… normally, i had over 1,000 heads, but now, none,” says Hama Ba, a vendor in Bamako.

“sheep that cost us 75,000 cfa francs (€114) are now selling for 300,000 cfa francs (€457). before, we had plenty of options; now, sheep are nearly invisible in Bamako,” laments Iyi, desperately searching for a ram within her budget.

power cuts

the security crisis is compounded by critical shortages of essential services in Bamako. the capital is enduring prolonged and extensive power outages, coupled with severe drinking water shortages.

“selifini” festive attire is still pending at tailors, who struggle to fulfill orders due to electricity cuts.

énergie du Mali, which operates primarily on fuel and diesel-powered thermal plants, is unable to restore normal diesel supply levels due to the blockade.

“we tried to get a small solar panel, but it can’t replace grid power,” says Alou Diallo, a tailor in Bamako.

households are also worried about preserving food for the holiday.

“how can we keep meat fresh without electricity? buying a sheep at this inflated price only to lose the meat within 24 hours due to power cuts is a nightmare,” worries a mother from the Sirakoro district.

in recent days, malian authorities announced the arrival of hundreds of fuel tankers in Bamako.