Mali Government Bans Motorcycles and Establishes Military Zones to Combat Militant Attacks
The military government of Mali has implemented a ban on the sale and use of large motorcycles outside major urban areas and has established military zones that are off-limits to civilians. This decision, announced on national television, aims to reduce attacks by militant groups. The ban affects motorcycles with engine displacements of 125 cubic centimeters and higher, which are commonly used in rural areas for transportation by both residents and armed groups. Militants have been known to use motorcycles to navigate the Sahelian terrain for launching attacks and retreating. Additionally, the government has designated 35 locations, primarily forests in central, southern, and western Mali, as 'zones of military interests' where civilians are prohibited. These measures follow a significant attack in April by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which included a blockade on Bamako and the capture of Kidal.