In Bougouni, in southern Mali, the JNIM attacked another fuel convoy.

In Bougouni, in southern Mali, the JNIM attacked another fuel convoy. Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist group also known as the "Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims" (GSIM), is a Salafist-jihadist terrorist organization that emerged in 2017 from the merger of several al-Qaeda-affiliated groups in Mali and the Sahel region. It is considered the largest and deadliest al-Qaeda affiliate in West Africa and is officially linked to al-Qaeda. JNIM is designated a terrorist organization by the US, the UN, and the EU and has thousands of fighters operating in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and neighboring countries. The group primarily finances itself through kidnapping (ransom), extortion, smuggling (weapons, drugs, people), taxation of local populations, and the trade in commodities such as gold. As part of an ongoing blockade that began in September 2025, JNIM has repeatedly targeted fuel convoys in the Bougouni region of Mali to disrupt supplies from Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and other neighboring countries. This strategy has destroyed over 300 tanker trucks, causing severe supply shortages in Bamako and southern cities, and crippling transportation, education, and the economy. JNIM fighters have repeatedly ambushed convoys near Kolondiéba in Bougouni, including on October 17 (when approximately 50 tanker trucks were hit despite military escorts) and in early September, setting vehicles on fire with motorcycles. The Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) responded by repelling attacks on October 26 and destroying a JNIM base used for planning such attacks on November 2, neutralizing over 10 fighters. At the end of November, some convoys from Ivory Coast and Niger, with heavy escorts, managed to deliver supplies and fuel to Bamako. This blockade has far-reaching consequences. The blockade was extended in November to include routes to Niger in an effort to weaken the military junta by disrupting vital economic lifelines, while the JNIM advanced into southern Mali. Little remains known about the casualty figures from individual attacks, and there are no confirmed reports of a new attack in early December 2025, although the group's propaganda frequently claims higher figures. The security situation in Mali has deteriorated, which aligns with your previous interest in the instability of the Sahel region. Based on reports from organizations such as the UN Security Council, the US State Department, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), JNIM receives support from multiple sources. There are no confirmed state sponsors in the sense of official government support (unlike groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas). Instead, support is based on ideological alliances, local networks, and criminal activities. @https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/least-40-fuel-tankers-burned-al-qaeda-linked-attack-mali-sources-say-2025-09-15/ @https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali_fuel_blockade @https://gambiaj.com/mali-jnim-jihadists-destroy-fuel-convoy-and-announce-new-rules-for-travelers/ @https://english.news.cn/africa/20251101/89e8178a8b8c4859b6ab894072e0f081/c.html?hl=en-CA @https://afrinz.ru/es/2025/10/las-fuerzas-armadas-de-mali-frustran-ataque-terrorista-contra-convoy-de-combustible/ @https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/salafi-jihadi-areas-of-operation-in-west-africa-interactive-map-and-campaign-analysis @https://www.democrata.es/internacional/ejercito-mali-elimina-diez-terroristas-operacion-base-suroeste/ @https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20251105-mali-s-economy-near-standstill-amid-jnim-fuel-attacks @@https://www.csis.org