Mali Military Government Bans Motorcycles and Establishes Military Zones to Curb 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 often use motorcycles to navigate the Sahelian terrain for launching attacks and retreating. Additionally, the government has designated 35 locations as 'zones of military interests,' primarily in forests across central, southern, and western Mali, where civilians are prohibited from entering. These measures follow a significant offensive by militant groups in April, which included a blockade on the capital, Bamako, and an attack that resulted in the death of a former defense minister.