Mali’s military junta is struggling to ease a jihadist fuel blockade as talks with al-Qaeda-linked militants inch forward – amid petrol shortages and growing public frustration.
Since early September, the al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) have enforced an embargo on fuel imports to the country, torching fuel tankers almost daily and cutting off key routes to the towns of Kayes and Nioro du Sahel, on the Senegalese border.
The army is escorting convoys in an attempt to ensure the flow of goods, one of which arrived in Bamako on Tuesday, 7 October.
Talks have been under way between Malian intermediaries and the jihadists, so far without success.
“Contact hasn’t been broken, but this isn’t going to be resolved overnight,” a Malian security source close to the discussions told RFI.
Around 10 days ago, local officials from Mopti region, acting with the support of Mali’s intelligence services, reached out to JNIM forces in the hope of securing safe passage for fuel trucks and ending the blockade on Kayes and Nioro.
Others have since joined the effort, including community leaders and unofficial mediators.
At the same time, separate channels have reportedly been opened to negotiate the release of two Emirati hostages captured by JNIM in late September.
However, according to the same security course, JNIM has been demanding a single, official negotiation channel directly with the Malian state.
"There are too many go-betweens, too many scattered discussions. They also want the process to be made public – that’s one of their key conditions. But that’s a difficult ask,” they said.
A civilian figure from Mopti involved in the talks confirmed that the jihadists are pushing for a streamlined, clearly identified dialogue process, saying: "All these parallel efforts have muddled things."
Another sticking point is the fate of detained jihadist fighters. JNIM is insisting on the release of several of its members held by the Malian army, although no official figures have been disclosed.
One source told RFI that the list includes bomb-makers and explosives specialists. They added that “several of those prisoners have died in detention" – making their release impossible.
Meanwhile, the army is aiming to secure the release of its own soldiers held by JNIM. Over the past few years, dozens of Malian troops have been captured in a string of jihadist attacks on military bases.
JNIM’s demands reportedly extend beyond prisoners. According to some sources speaking to RFI, the group wants the transitional authorities to stop cracking down on informal petrol sales in villages – a key source of fuel for its fighters.
Malian security officials, however, have flatly denied that claim.
Other conditions cited by RFI’s sources include ending army checks at bus stations and requiring women to wear veils on intercity coaches, underscoring the ideological undertones of the group’s campaign.
This article has been adapted from the original version in French by David Baché.
