Mali jihadists threaten to block roads into Bamako

Jihadists in Mali threatened to block roads into Bamako on Tuesday, escalating pressure on the junta after a weekend of coordinated attacks.

In a video reported by AFP and other outlets, JNIM said it was blocking the capital’s access routes and warned that only people already inside Bamako could leave. AFP said it could not verify whether the blockade was actually being enforced on the ground.

The threat comes after attacks over the weekend targeted sites around Bamako and in the north. Reports said Mali’s defense minister was killed, and the fighting has raised fears that the insurgency is widening its reach.

Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, reappeared publicly on Tuesday and said the security situation was under control. But the blockade threat underscores how quickly the crisis has deepened and how much pressure remains on the government in Bamako.