In Bamako, Mali's capital city, the familiar sounds of car engines and horns have been replaced by those of shuffling feet. Residents push depleted motorcycles through the city's dusty roads, frustrated by the fuel blockade that has paralyzed Mali for more than two months.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a jihadist, al-Qaeda-affiliated militia, has been attacking tankers bringing fuel into Mali, broadening its years-long insurgency to include economic warfare. JNIM's fighters have kidnapped drivers and torched more than 100 trucks bound for Bamako.
Daily life has been upended for millions of Malians - schools and universities had to close, food prices have surged, and hospitals are battling power cuts. The fuel shortage has sparked concern outside of Mali, with the US urging Americans not to travel to Mali and France advising its citizens in the West African country to leave as soon as possible.
One defining image of the crisis is lengthy queues building up outside petrol stations.
We're here waiting for fuel, and we've been here for more than four days now, Sidi Djiré, a taxi driver waiting at a petrol station in Bamako, tells the BBC. Mr. Djiré says he hopes Mali's military-led government solves the crisis soon, because whether you're a vendor or a teacher, everyone's work has been affected.
At some forecourts in Bamako, motorists are met by a note bearing three, exasperating words - no fuel today. Many delivery and bus drivers have resorted to sleeping at petrol stations in the hope of being the first to refuel once supplies come in.
With public transport fares tripling in some parts of the capital, some passengers have ditched the bus completely and are walking long distances to work. For customer Assitan Diarra from Bamako's Baco Djicoroni market, food prices have tripled. Times are really tough right now. But what can we do? We are at war. We pray that God brings ease and peace to our country, Ms. Diarra says.
Behind the chaos appears to be a carefully orchestrated plan. The junta had popular support when it seized power five years ago, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants like JNIM. However, the Islamist insurgency has continued, making much of the north and east ungovernable.
The blockade is a significant escalation from JNIM's usual hit-and-run ambushes, forcing the government into a defensive position. With fuel supplies being disrupted to hospitals, many health facilities cannot run generators, leading to power cuts that threaten emergency services.
At Kalaban Coro Health Centre, Dr. Issa Guido explains that personnel are struggling to report for duty due to the lack of fuel. Our personnel must be prompt and punctual in reporting to duty, but it has become extremely difficult for them to secure fuel just to commute to work, he states.
In efforts to address the crisis, army trucks have been escorting fuel convoys from the borders to the capital. However, these operations are fraught with security risks, and some convoys have been attacked despite the army's presence. The Malian government is negotiating emergency fuel supply agreements with Russia as part of their response to the crisis.
While officials insist that they have the situation under control, the blockade has exposed the government's weakening reach beyond Bamako and the frustrations of ordinary Malians continue to grow amid rising costs and diminishing supplies.
Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a jihadist, al-Qaeda-affiliated militia, has been attacking tankers bringing fuel into Mali, broadening its years-long insurgency to include economic warfare. JNIM's fighters have kidnapped drivers and torched more than 100 trucks bound for Bamako.
Daily life has been upended for millions of Malians - schools and universities had to close, food prices have surged, and hospitals are battling power cuts. The fuel shortage has sparked concern outside of Mali, with the US urging Americans not to travel to Mali and France advising its citizens in the West African country to leave as soon as possible.
One defining image of the crisis is lengthy queues building up outside petrol stations.
We're here waiting for fuel, and we've been here for more than four days now, Sidi Djiré, a taxi driver waiting at a petrol station in Bamako, tells the BBC. Mr. Djiré says he hopes Mali's military-led government solves the crisis soon, because whether you're a vendor or a teacher, everyone's work has been affected.
At some forecourts in Bamako, motorists are met by a note bearing three, exasperating words - no fuel today. Many delivery and bus drivers have resorted to sleeping at petrol stations in the hope of being the first to refuel once supplies come in.
With public transport fares tripling in some parts of the capital, some passengers have ditched the bus completely and are walking long distances to work. For customer Assitan Diarra from Bamako's Baco Djicoroni market, food prices have tripled. Times are really tough right now. But what can we do? We are at war. We pray that God brings ease and peace to our country, Ms. Diarra says.
Behind the chaos appears to be a carefully orchestrated plan. The junta had popular support when it seized power five years ago, promising to deal with the long-running security crisis, which was then hijacked by Islamist militants like JNIM. However, the Islamist insurgency has continued, making much of the north and east ungovernable.
The blockade is a significant escalation from JNIM's usual hit-and-run ambushes, forcing the government into a defensive position. With fuel supplies being disrupted to hospitals, many health facilities cannot run generators, leading to power cuts that threaten emergency services.
At Kalaban Coro Health Centre, Dr. Issa Guido explains that personnel are struggling to report for duty due to the lack of fuel. Our personnel must be prompt and punctual in reporting to duty, but it has become extremely difficult for them to secure fuel just to commute to work, he states.
In efforts to address the crisis, army trucks have been escorting fuel convoys from the borders to the capital. However, these operations are fraught with security risks, and some convoys have been attacked despite the army's presence. The Malian government is negotiating emergency fuel supply agreements with Russia as part of their response to the crisis.
While officials insist that they have the situation under control, the blockade has exposed the government's weakening reach beyond Bamako and the frustrations of ordinary Malians continue to grow amid rising costs and diminishing supplies.
