"Parts of Mali's capital have been brought to a near standstill as a group affiliated with al-Qaeda imposes an economic siege on the country by blocking routes used by fuel tankers, in a bid to turn the screw on the military government. As the Sahel country plunges deeper into crisis, the United States Embassy in Mali on Tuesday urged US citizens to depart immediately as the fuel blockade renders daily life increasingly dangerous."
"A lack of supplies has caused the price of fuel to shoot up 500 percent, from $25 to $130 per litre, according to Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque. The Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) armed group, which imposed the blockade last month in retaliation for the military banning fuel sales in rural areas, appeared to be succeeding in turning public anger against the country's rulers, Haque noted."
"Haque said the al-Qaeda fighters were burning fuel trucks as supplies ran out. Schools and universities have also been shut for two weeks, and airlines are now cancelling flights from Bamako. Meanwhile, the US Embassy has warned Americans to leave Mali immediately using commercial flights rather than travelling over land to neighbouring countries, owing to the risk of terrorist attacks along national highways."
The Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) armed group has imposed an economic siege by blocking routes used by fuel tankers, causing widespread shortages. Fuel prices in Bamako have risen about 500%, pushing prices from $25 to $130 per litre and creating long queues at petrol stations. JNIM fighters have burned fuel trucks as supplies ran out. Schools and universities have been shut for two weeks and airlines are cancelling flights from Bamako. The United States Embassy has urged American citizens to leave Mali immediately on commercial flights and to prepare contingency plans, including sheltering in place. Military rulers insist the situation is under control despite the escalating crisis.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]