The Russian Africa Corps has successfully escorted a convoy of oil tankers into Mali’s capital, Bamako, for the first time since Al-Qaeda-linked jihadi groups imposed a blockade that had cut off fuel supplies to government-held areas.
According to Malian media reports and videos circulating on social media, several dozen oil tankers, escorted by Russian and Malian troops, reached Bamako on Thursday and Friday without incident. This marked the first time Russian forces provided direct ground support for the fuel convoys. Until now, Russia had primarily offered air support, which had proved insufficient as previous convoys were ambushed and destroyed.
The blockade began on September 3rd when Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, announced an “energy and economic embargo” on Mali, vowing to prevent fuel shipments from entering through Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Guinea. Within days, gas stations across the country began rationing supplies, and JNIM released multiple videos showing destroyed convoys.
The blockade quickly brought economic activity to a standstill in several regions as workers and traders were unable to travel without encountering JNIM checkpoints. Transportation of essential goods, including food and medicine, also slowed sharply, worsening the humanitarian situation.
Following a major attack on October 22nd that saw at least 37 tankers destroyed, the Malian government signed an emergency agreement to import more than 200,000 tons of fuel. Some of the first shipments from that deal arrived in Bamako this past Friday.
Footage shared online showed residents cheering as the tankers entered the capital, offering temporary relief to widespread fuel shortages. The fuel is expected to be distributed nationwide to stabilize supply in the short term.
Mali’s civil war, which began in 2012, continues between government forces and several jihadi factions. The Russian military has become Mali’s principal security partner since the withdrawal of French forces in 2022. Moscow’s role has steadily expanded, with Russian advisors and units providing logistical, intelligence, and now ground escort operations against the insurgents.
Reports have circulated regarding the presence of foreign military advisors supporting some militant factions, including speculation of Ukrainian involvement—claims that Kiev had originally confirmed but then denied but which Russian officials continue to allege. With the ongoing conflict and foreign actors increasingly drawn in, Mali remains one of the most volatile battlegrounds in Africa.