![Residents line up at a gas station to buy fuel on April 3, 2012, in Bamako. Analysts say the latest attacks on fuel tankers by the al-Qaeda-affiliated group JNIM will hit the public hardest, driving gas prices higher. [ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP]](/cnmi_st/images/2025/09/30/52142-afp__20120403__par6984072__v100-739_416.webp)
The al-Qaeda–linked group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) has significantly disrupted life in Mali by destroying about 100 fuel tankers in recent weeks.
The attacks, carried out near the city of Kayes close to the Senegalese border, targeted convoys supplying fuel to the capital, Bamako, and other regions.
By torching the tankers, JNIM not only destroyed critical property but also inflicted harm on Mali’s population, whose livelihoods depend on affordable and reliable fuel.
The destruction is expected to drive up costs nationwide, disrupt daily life, and make it harder for Malians to provide for themselves.
Mali’s army confirmed the incident as a terrorist act but offered no details on the full extent of the damage.
Economic warfare against the people
Experts warned that the consequences of such attacks affect ordinary citizens more than the government.
"Attacking vital fuel routes disrupts imports and raises prices, putting daily life under pressure," said Dr. Muhammad Hanif Zahidi, a security expert based in Spain.
"The destruction of fuel tankers by JNIM is a serious warning for Mali and neighboring countries," he added.
Meanwhile, the attacks are part of JNIM’s broader strategy of economic warfare, aimed at destabilizing Mali and undermining the government’s legitimacy.
By targeting fuel supplies, the group seeks to weaken public trust in the state’s ability to protect critical infrastructure while exploiting popular anger to bolster recruitment.
"These actions show that al-Qaeda affiliates can exploit economic crises to create insecurity and erode public trust in the government," said Ali Akbar Muhammadi, an international affairs analyst in London.
"Mali, being heavily dependent on fuel imports, is highly vulnerable to such attacks, and any disruption can severely impact daily life," he said.
"If this trend continues, not only Mali’s stability but also the security of the Sahel region will face serious threats," he added.
"There is an urgent need for a coordinated regional and international strategy to confront such dangers," Muhammadi said.
JNIM knows Mali’s dependence on fuel imports makes it an easy target, said Muhammad Omar Kabiri, a political analyst based in France.
"This group, by focusing on destroying fuel tankers, tries to cripple Mali’s economy, Kabiri said.
"When people face fuel shortages and rising prices, fear and anxiety spreads, and the central government comes under pressure," he added.
He stressed that confronting the threat requires more than security measures.
"Countering such threats requires coordinated security, economic, and information efforts so that people understand the consequences of these operations and the influence of armed groups is contained," Kabiri said.
