The US Embassy in Mali has issued a warning to all American citizens, urging them to leave the country immediately due to increasing terror threats and a worsening fuel crisis. The embassy cited a jihadi blockade as the cause of the fuel crisis, which has been exacerbated by terrorist attacks along national highways. Travelers are advised to use commercial flights, as overland routes are considered too dangerous.

This is the second alert issued by the embassy in just three days, following an earlier warning against travel to Mali due to crime, terrorism, and kidnappings. The situation in Mali has become increasingly unstable, with the al-Qaida-linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announcing in September that it had blocked fuel tankers from entering the country. This move is part of JNIM’s campaign against Mali’s ruling military authorities, and has resulted in the destruction of over 100 trucks, severely crippling the nation’s fuel supply.

The impact of the blockade has been severe, with schools and universities shutting down nationwide and transportation grinding to a halt. JNIM is one of several armed groups destabilizing the Sahel region, a vast stretch of desert from North Africa to West Africa, where an insurgency is spreading rapidly and the humanitarian toll is growing. The region has become a hotbed of terrorist activity, with groups like JNIM taking advantage of the power vacuum to launch attacks and destabilize governments.

The US Embassy’s warning is a clear indication of the deteriorating security situation in Mali, and the need for citizens to exercise extreme caution when traveling to the region. The embassy’s advice to use commercial flights is a reflection of the risks associated with overland travel, which has become increasingly treacherous due to terrorist attacks. As the situation in Mali continues to unfold, it is likely that the international community will be closely monitoring developments, and taking steps to address the growing humanitarian crisis in the region. With the fuel crisis showing no signs of abating, and the terrorist threat continuing to escalate, the coming days and weeks will be crucial in determining the course of events in Mali.