DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Militants affiliated with al-Qaida have burned and destroyed some 100 trucks transporting fuel to Mali's capital in recent days, a local trade union said Tuesday, as the nation's military tries to stop a blockade of fuel imports imposed last week by the militants.
The Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin, or JNIM, militant group announced a ban on fuel imports from neighboring countries two weeks ago in what analysts say poses huge risks for the fragile local economy and is a significant
setback for Mali's military junta.
"Around 100 tanker trucks have been set on fire over the past two weekends,” an official with the National Council of Employers of Mali told The Associated Press, quoting a report they received from the Malian fuel association.
The fuel trucks were attacked close to the city of Kayes near the border with Senegal, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak about the issue.
JNIM said in a video statement that the group targeted the truck drivers for disobeying their orders.
The Malian army confirmed that its personnel came under “terrorist attack” as they escorted the fuel trucks to the capital Bamako, but gave no details about the damages.
Other operators in Mali’s fuel and transport sectors said there are hundreds of fuel truck drivers at the Senegalese border and in other parts of the country awaiting military escorts and for the security situation to improve along the road to Bamako.
“Usually there are more than 100 fuel tanker trucks entering Mali from Senegal every day. All this traffic has come to a standstill today,” said one fuel importer, who asked to remain anonymous for his safety.
Viral videos that appeared to be from the scene of the attacks showed several abandoned fuel tankers on fire along the road.
In a statement on social media on Tuesday, Mali's Prime Minister Maj. Gen. Abdoulaye Maïga spoke of a “regrettable event” without being specific about the blockade. "Know that every time a son of the country dies on the battlefield, it is a drama,” he added.
For a country relying heavily on the fuel imports, analysts and residents have expressed concern that a prolonged blockade would result in fuel shortages in Bamako and a spike in the costs.
“JNIM is using the blockade to pressure commercial operators and residents to distance themselves from the military authorities, therefore undermining the government’s legitimacy and authority,” said Beverly Ochieng, an analyst at the Control Risks Group consulting firm.
